Love Infected
by Elenacee
Summary: The Autobots thought that things have settled down after the events of Predacons Rising... As Knock Out joined the Autobots, he gets a few friends... and one enemy. The red mech suddenly starts having feelings for his "enemy", but Arcee is still just rejecting him, no matter what he does. Is she going to like him after he saved her life, not once, but twice? Knock Out X Arcee
1. Chapter 1

**TRANSFORMERS PRIME**

_Love Infected_

Chapter 1: Over?

A few years passed. Months passed. Days passed. Hours passed.

Team Prime was still there-ON CYBERTRON.

They had to stay on Cybertron in case of another attack from Decepticons. But that was not very likely, because they have finally defeated them. It was peaceful, it was quiet, and it was simply wonderful. The planet was almost fully restored, it just needed a few buildings and it would be in perfect shape.

There was no real evil anymore. That's what they've thought. But was it really like that?

Megatron vanished somewhere, somehow. Nobody of the Autobots knew where he was, they weren't picking up any energy signal. They were thinking it's over. Could they be right?

Ratchet was inspecting this question for days, but he couldn't get any answer. The only thing he knew was that they weren't in danger anymore.

- It's definitely over. The war is gone. It's safe now. –Ratchet said as he was working at his computer. In the last few days, he was always at the big monitor, checking everything up.

- It doesn't have to be … I'm not quite sure on that. – Bumblebee said while looking into the sky.

- But… we saw the end. – Smokescreen joined them.

- Yes. Megatron changed. – Arcee stated and looked up at Bulkhead who was standing right next to her.

- I think he learned his lesson. – Bulkhead stated and smiled towards the blue femme.

- He sure has changed. Just like… other things. – Knock Out said and looked at the others.

Bulkhead smiled a little, Smokescreen was looking at him, Ratchet nodded his head and Bumblebee showed a big smile.

But Arcee turned her back at him, and that made him turn his head around to avoid eye contact with the others, so that this topic closes.

She still didn't really believe him. He was a Decepticon, and she didn't want to trust him in any way. No, she would never again trust a Decepticon anymore. She knew it could only bring trouble, and even though he wasn't a Decepticon anymore, she still had the feeling that he was one, as he didn't want to change his optic color. She couldn't stand him at all, his attitude and his annoying voice.

They were relaxing and were happy, they didn't have the idea someone was watching them. THE WHOLE TIME.

The unidentified object was flying around, silently. It was changing its position as Bumblebee was walking around, from one spot to another, quick and swift. Looping in the air, turning around, looking like it's searching something.

Until it saw something.

Someone.

-I… um… guess I have… stuff to do.- Knock Out said, transformed into alt mode and drove away, into the hallway that was leading to the exit of their base.

- Well, I guess everyone has work, Cybertron still needs some repairs. So, let me say it, Autobots, roll out! – Bumblebee said while looking at his team. When Ultra Magnus wasn't here, he was in command as Smokescreen was losing that position because of his childish behavior.

They all transformed, except Ratchet.

- Ratchet, aren't you going? – Arcee asked.

-What? No. I have to open the Bridge, watch out for you, and make my experiments…

- No you don't, – Bumblebee said, - we have Knock Out.

A sound from a strong engine could be heard down the hall. It was coming closer, and everybody exactly knew who that was.

- Knock Out…- Bulkhead started, but soon got interrupted.

- I CAN FINALLY COME WITH YOU?! - He said turning into robot mode again. Then he coughed for attention -I mean… Finally. I was rusting up here. –He shrugged his shoulders and cutely smirked.

- No, Knock Out, you…- Smokescreen wanted to be the one who would tell him the bad news. He simply loved to tease the red mech as he knew Knock Out wouldn't fight back as he was scared of losing his position.

-… Oh. Duty again, huh?

- You'll get your chance, rookie. – Smokescreen winked his optic.

He grumbled a little, and walked over the computers.

- But… I have been an Autobot for months. Am I going to be here for STELLAR CYCLES?

- No, you'll just have to be patient. –Ratchet stated and turned into his robot mode again. Ratchet was really grateful that he could finally go to another mission with them as he was always just standing in front of the machines in his lab or stuffing himself up with energon cubes.

-Yes, - Bumblebee confirmed Ratchet's words, turning into robot mode too, - Ratchet is always here. When we were on the Earth, he was on Ground Bridge duty again.

- HE IS A MEDIC! –Knock out defended himself and straightened.

- So are you. – Arcee arrogantly stated and the red mech's sight got onto her. She leaned at the door and was looking at him with her optics which were cold like ice. He didn't know why, but he somehow disliked her, and he knew she disliked him. Sometimes, he wished she would just disappear from this team as she was always complaining about him, as she was always against him or never took him serious while the others did.

-Well, _Cee_, I am also a SOLDIER. –He said and falsely smiled.

- Don't you call me like that, _Doc Knock. –_She said and narrowed her optics.

- Why not? Everyone else calls you like that.

- They are family.

He suddenly turned silent.

- No more complaining? No comments? – She asked and smiled because of her win. She crossed her servos and tilted her head, but wasn't really amused as he didn't fight back, which was weird from him.

This time, he didn't want to fight as he knew it would get them into problems or fights.

He didn't respond, looking into the ground, angrily.

- … I guess it's time to go. Arcee, Bumblebee, Ratchet. – Bulkhead said to move the blue femme away from the red mech, to stop the fight.

Knock Out turned the Ground Bridge on. Bulkhead left first, followed by Smokescreen, then Ratchet.

- Good luck. You'll need it. - Arcee smirked.

- Less then you, Cee. - He smirked back, looking straight into her ice cold, blue optics. Seeing his crimson red optics, Arcee couldn't help but to hate them. He couldn't accept the fact that he chose to keep them except of changing the color. Every time she looked at him, she knew he wasn't one of them.

The smirk left from her face, and she rolled her optics, titling her head into another direction, looking into the ground. Then she stayed so for a few seconds, and with no other words, transformed and left.

- Now _you_'re without comments, huh? – He said when she wasn't here anymore.

- Don't worry, Knock Out. You'll go with us too… but…- Bumblebee started, but Knock Out had to interrupt him as he wasn't used to the Autobot rules yet.

- You don't trust me yet, I know.

- It's not that we don't trust you, but…

- Oh, PLEASE, - he said looking into the sky and smiling, -I know you don't. And I understand. You go have your fun, while I rust in here, silently… peacefully… slowly…- he started to act, - nobody cares that it hurts, but it hurts so much… I don't have any rights, no friends…- he said looking into Bumblebee, optics widened and cute.

- … Stop it Knock Out, you know I don't fall for this. - Bumblebee said, slowly getting annoyed from his Decepticon behavior. Bumblebee knew he couldn't just change his attitude, but he could at least try it.

He stopped, but still looked sad.

- You'll get your chance, Knock Out, but if you want to be an Autobot you'll have to be patient.

Knock Out grumbled again, turning around to face the monitor.

-Go. They're waiting for you. – He said.

- I know. – Bumblebee said, transformed, and rolled out.

-So…- he said when Bumblebee was gone, walking over to the window and leaning on it - another orbital cycle of boredom, starting… Now.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Luck

-Where have you been Bumblebee? - Bulkhead asked and looked at the approaching yellow/black Bot.

-Ah, you know Knock Out. –He waved his hand and reached the others.

-More or less… - Arcee stated, looking at the ground. Her servos were crossed, her head lowered.

They were walking around the city first, until they all went separated ways to check the nearby areas.

The other Bots have returned, the team wasn't alone anymore.

Everybody looked happy, relaxed, and they were all joking around. That made even Ratchet smile, if just for a second.

After a few hours, they met again.

Vehicons were still working on the taller towers, trying to repair it to make up for the things they have done while it was war.

- I hope they won't kill themselves by doing that again. – Bulkhead said and lowered his optic ridges as he knew they _would _ruin something again. They never do something the way it should go.

- I… guess it IS over. – Bumblebee suddenly stated after some time.

-It is the beginning of a wonderful end. – Arcee said and sat at a big rock, her head lowered, her servos crossed. In this position, she looked like she was depressed.

- Arcee has been… acting weird the last few days. –Smokescreen whispered over to Bulkhead, and the green mech and Ratchet looked at him.

- I guess… losing him hurt _her_ the most. Ratchet said and remembered Optimus' sacrifice for them.

- Or… there's something wrong with her. – Bulkhead said as he was sure she wouldn't be that down because of Optimus, she has been through worse.

- She was always acting cool, even after the loss of Cliffjumper. – Bumblebee stated and so confirmed Bulkhead's thoughts.

And that WAS true. She was never THAT kind of depressed. It was strange to see her in this stage.

She was sitting on a giant rock that was there for a long time. It was here for stellar cycles, before, during and after the war.

-You Ok? – Smokescreen asked with a childish voice as he neared himself to the blue femme.

Arcee smiled a little.

- I'm fine, Smokescreen. It's just…- she looked up.

-What?

-…Nothing. – She said and looked down again.

…

- There is something wrong with her. –Smokescreen said after he went over to them again.

- Well… Let her go home. – Bumblebee suddenly stated and everybody looked at him as they knew Arcee disliked the red mech and couldn't stand him. When there was a way to complain about him, she would always shot first. She didn't want him to be an Autobot at all, as he was surely insufferable.

Everybody was staring at him for a long time, and as Bumblebee saw that, he had to ask as he wasn't sure why they were looking at him.

-What?

-You know exactly. – Bulkhead stated and narrowed his optics.

-Look, Bulkhead. Knock Out is an Autobot, and she'll have to except it sooner or later.

-…Bumblebee is right. I don't like him either, but Optimus accepted him as one of us, before he… -Ratchet started, but stopped as he reminded them _and _himself at Optimus Prime. He wished he would still be here with them, but this wish couldn't get true.

Then, there was an awkward silence as everybody was sad about his sacrifice once again. They all tried to stop him, they really did try. But they didn't succeed.

After some time, Bumblebee sent Bulkhead to talk to her, to make her go back on an analysis of Ratchet, when they get back.

-Arcee, you sure that you're right?

-Yes, Bulkhead, I'm sure. –She said smiling, but still looking strange.

-If you're not OK…

-Bulkhead… I'm… fine…- She said, looking at him with her optics looking like she's feeling a lot of pain. They were narrowed as she didn't want anybody to care or to see why she was like that… they would worry too much.

…

-She is clearly hiding something. But… she doesn't want to tell. – Bulkhead stated when he was back where the others were, away from Arcee.

While they were discussing, Smokescreen was looking at her. Then, he saw it.

She tried to stand up, but she couldn't. She fell back onto the rock, gazing into the stars at the sky. Her servo was at her abdomen now, and her optics were tightly closed. She was experiencing pain.

Then he realized that there was some energon on the floor.

- I think she needs a bridge. - He said.

…

-Whom am I kidding? – The red mech said while walking around in circles.

-I'll never be an Autobot. I'm too… Decepticon like. But at the other side…- He thought aloud, stopping at the table where he was studying energon, Energon Prod right next to him. His lab work was so boring that he lost his appetite and couldn't even look at energon anymore. He was sure he didn't need it anyways as he was just walking around the chambers and talking to himself. Sometimes, he would make little energon statues and play with them from boredom. After he would finish with the playing, he would tear them apart or eat their heads off.

Today, he was just tossing a small energon ball into the air and catching it with his hand. He remembered Breakdown as the blue mech was always playing while he was working, and amusing him a little like that. The mech would bring a little color in his life after Starscream would yell at him… But the mech wasn't there anymore.

He heavily sighed and faced the monitor again.

Then, there was a sudden message for him.

-Finally. I hope not a joke again. - He said realizing that the message was for him.

- Doctor in the house. - He answered it.

-Knock Out! – A loud voice shouted and got into his head.

-What?! Why are you shouting? I'm sensitive to sounds…

-Sorry, -Bulkhead said, - but we have a… problem here.

-Finally… - he sighed as he was bored.

-What?

-Nothing. So, what's the situation?

-Arcee. – Bulkhead said, and Knock Out's smile got away from is faceplates.

…

-Didn't I tell you'll need luck? - He said and smiled into her direction.

She didn't look at him. She was looking straight into the ground.

-So… the situation? - He asked.

- Why would I tell YOU? - She said arrogantly an narrowed her optics and looked into his.

-I'm a medic. It's my job.

-And a soldier. - She replied from before.

-Don't use it against me, Auto… um… I mean, Arcee.

He could see her smile for a moment.

-You'll need luck too.

-Me? –He asked, - Why would I need luck?

-Keeping up with me. - She smirked again, turning her head into his direction. He narrowed his optics and smirked back as he knew that she was teasing him, but he left it go as he wasn't in the mood right now. Maybe he would be later when she starts complaining about him later.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Caught

-I'll guess you don't really like talking about things about yourself. But tell me. You just have to trust me. –He stated and neared his face to hers as she didn't want to say anything about her pain, and he was sure there was something big.

-No, thank you. I'll talk to Ratchet. –She arrogantly stated and looked away.

-Fine. Talk to him. But, if you'll need me, I'll be there.

-Why would you ever care about someone? - She asked.

-You just can't accept me as an Autobot. And stand still. You need to calm yourself. Or do you want to get hurt- he said walking over to her grabbing her servo- even more than this?- He asked lifting her servo up, making her shout in pain. Her whole servo was full of energon, along with her body part that was still leaking.

- It hurts, doesn't it? - He said looking at her, his optics narrowed.

- Not as much as having you in our team! - She shouted into his faceplates and he widened his optics for a second.

-Don't you get that I'm trying to help you?! – He shouted back, lifting her servo even more up. She was frustrated, but she didn't shout.

-Acting brave, are we? - He asked in a rude tone.

He left her servo down and walked away from her.

-If I wouldn't be that hurt, I'd…- she started, but was soon interrupted by him.

-But you are. Stop it. –He narrowed his optics and turned around to face her.

-I won't. You're still that Knock Out I knew before joining us.

That made him close his optics in pain, showing his teeth when he opened them again.

-Be careful at what you say. - He said, trying to hide his anger.

But this was impossible, because Arcee knows when someone is hiding something.

Her optics turned blood-red.

She stood up.

-Arcee, PLEASE, SIT BACK AGAIN! - He started to shout again. The femme was going on his nerves, and it was hard for him to keep himself from chocking her as she didn't consider that he really just wanted to help… although he knew he wasn't such a great help at all.

She was walking over to him, servo at her wounded body part again.

-Arcee! You're losing too much energon!

-I don't care if I'm going to be offline.

-…What? Do you know what you have just said there?

-Yes. You are not at our side.

He put his servo on his head.

-Arcee. Why do you think… I'd try to help you at the first place if I was still a Decepticon?

-Help me?! You are joking.

-…Whatever. But, please, sit down.

She wasn't listening.

-If you don't stop…!

She jumped at him, trying to hit him on the floor, but the plan didn't really work.

He grabbed her in flight and pulled her close to him, making her trying to escape from his strong, but sensitive servos.

-What did you think? You're weakened.

She was furious. She tried to get away, but he was holding her tightly. The red mech was getting upset as she wasn't the way she should be.

-Don't make me do something you won't like in any way. –He said in a serious voice, glaring at her with his crimson-red optics.

She calmed down for a moment, but she couldn't stop. She was desperately wiggling in his servos, and she was so low on energon that he didn't even have to be strong to keep her in his servos.

He was looking at her, studying her movement.

-…No… That's not you, Arcee.

She opened her optics widely, turning them into light purple.

-Knock Out? What…? –She silently asked and looked into his optics that weren't full of hate anymore.

-What happened to you? TELL ME! - He said grabbing her even more tightly.

-I… can't…- she was trying to, but she couldn't. This time not because she didn't want to, this time it was serious.

Her optics turned red again. Then she started to move like that again, trying to escape his servos, and she really managed to do that this time. He leaped away from her, and she was slowly approaching him again. She tried to hit him with her fist, but he dodged it and smirked as he felt like he was a Decepticon again, although he knew he shouldn't be proud of that, he should be ashamed of that. As she jumped at him, he took both of her servos and spun her, and then released so she would fall down, but she didn't, she remained at her legs and looked angrily into his optics. She pulled her blades out and ran over to him again, but he simply dodged it and grabbed his Prod.

-Sorry Arcee, but that's not you. – He said and stabbed her back. She fell at her abdomen and her and her optics closed. Her engine shut down, and the red mech evilly grinned.

-And now to the real Arcee, - he said looking down at her, - lesson number 1: NEVER SAY SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE YOU END UP LIKE THIS.

…

She was just lying there for megacycles, not even opening an optic. The event happened yesterday, and he knew they should come over here soon. But as there was no sign of them, he started to worry about them, but they weren't the only ones whom he was worrying about. He started to worry about her too, not because of her health, because of the others and what they would do if they would see her like that. He heavily sighed and put his servo at his forehead. Then he looked at her, and saw that she was full of scratches from his servos that were holding her before. He widened his optics as he saw that his paint was at her, and he knew they would think he was the one who did that to her, on purpose. Energon was at the floor, and he knew he should at least clean it up.

But he didn't care at all, and just waved his servo and turned to face the big monitor once again. He started typing on it, but soon, he finished everything he had to do and got bored again. He grabbed a little energon and engraved his initials with his claw at it. Seeing how ugly he wrote that, he threw it away and heard that it hit into some metal. He knew he hit Arcee, and half-closed his optics as he knew it immediately.

_-Why always her?_

He narrowed his optics and turned to face the monitor again. He bended and circled his claw at the keyboard, as he hadn't anything better to do. He moved his optics so that he could see the femme lying at the floor, energon still leaking from her. He sighed again and put his servo at his optics, and leaned his weight at his free servo. Then he turned his head to see the whole femme, and then he faced the monitor once again. He growled a little and parted from the monitor as he felt his conscience. He walked over to her and looked down at her as she was still unconscious. He heavily sighed and carefully picked her up. She was lying in his servos unconscious, bride-style. He walked over to a berth and gently put her at it. She didn't move and he knew she lost too much energy and he shook his head. He quickly cleaned up and as he walked back to her to check her up, he suddenly heard the door open and he leaped over to his monitor.

…

-So, you say she acted… strange. –Bumblebee lowered his optic ridges and looked at the red mech who was just a few inches taller than him.

-Oh, you can't imagine how. – Knock Out said with a cocky voice.

Bumblebee didn't speak anymore. He was, with no doubt, considering. Arcee was one of his best friends, and after Optimus has left, the two seemed to understand each other better and better, they were like best friends.

Knock Out didn't understand why he was feeling endangered and angered when he was around him; Bumblebee was one of his good friends now too. But he got these feelings every time when everybody was around and he just couldn't figure out why it was like that. And he didn't want to be angry. But there was no way he could deny it. And the worst part was, he was hurting himself even more when he was trying to hide it.

And he was good at hiding, so no one ever saw his emotions he was feeling _deep_ inside of him. Although it hurt, it was the only way to hide his real him.

- So… - Knock Out said to break the ice- how was your little trip?

- Boring. – Smokescreen immediately stated, and everybody looked at him. – I mean, it wasn't really boring, but it could have been a little…

-More exciting? – Knock Out asked.

Everybody looked at him then.

-What? Come on, she'll be fine. You are forgetting that I'm a medic too. –Then he remembered Arcee's words: _And a soldier_, and smiled a little, but no one could see his smile because it disappeared too soon for them to realize that.

-Anyways, I'll do my best. You can trust me. You know you can. Arcee and Smokescreen trusted me all along, you know. – He stated to remind them at the past and then looked at Bumblebee- They knew that I'm not going to stab their backs when I was walking behind them after guiding Starscream to his cell. I started to think about that yesterday when I was still alone with Arcee unconsciously lying at the same spot as today.

- I know Knock Out. I trust you.

- And why don't you let me go with you then, Bumblebee? I am trying, I really am. I am learning. I am watching and listening. I would never want to harm you… - he looked at Arcee and suddenly stopped.

- Knock Out? Are you fine? - Bulkhead asked staring at the ex-con as he was looking a bit upset.

- Why wouldn't I be? – He smiled again.

- Knock Out… -Bumblebee started- it's not that we don't trust you, it's more like… You don't trust yourselves.

- What? How couldn't I... –he stopped again. He really wasn't thinking about it. Maybe he was the problem. Maybe he just didn't fit anywhere. He was too GOOD to be a Decepticon, but in the same time too BAD to be an Autobot. Unfortunately, he was too involved to be neutral too.

_-Where do I belong to? _

Then, silence suddenly stopped as Arcee trembled. Everybody looked at her, scared and exited in the same time, walking over to meet her.

But Knock Out didn't even want her to see him. He was ashamed, he was scared, and he was listening to his spark's beat, which was too fast and heavy. He felt dizziness and dread flowing through his body as he was standing on his trembling legs. He felt like he was falling, but he knew he was still standing. That was new for him.

_-What is this terrible feeling? And, why do I feel it?_

He was trying to think of a logical answer, but then he felt a terrible headache and stopped immediately.

_-This can't be normal. Something has to be wrong with my spark._

He went closer to the others, feeling that he should be close to them and to the blue femme.

He leaned at the window again, and Arcee opened her optics.

He froze completely as he knew his live is going to change again.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Fate

-Arcee… Are you all right? –Bumblebee asked while smiling from joy to see her opened optics again. They were shining brilliantly and were deep blue once again, and that made Knock Out a little relieved as she couldn't scrap him now that she was back to normal…

-Bumblebee…?

He smiled and shouted –She is fine, guys!

Everybody was loud, hugging her and being happy about her return from stasis. She was still wounded; there hasn't been time to heal her.

But she was all right, and everybody was happy about that.

That made Knock Out happy too, but he didn't smile. He wanted so hardly to, but he couldn't. His faceplates were frozen. His body was frozen, so as his mind. He was just waiting for her catching his optics as he knew she wouldn't understand his behavior at all.

Arcee saw him in the back, and that made him squirm.

_-Oh, this is going to be juicy…_

- Knock Out…- hate wandered from her voice into his ears, and everyone else realized that something was wrong.

-Arcee. – He said, hearing his voice which was sounding cowardly, just as he felt. His spark started to bounce heavily as he knew that she could say something to them, and they could easily throw him out.

The silence came back as the static was rising.

- You're still here. - She said with a mournful voice.

-Indeed, I am.

-What is going on? - Bulkhead whispered to Smokescreen.

-I don't know. But it seems like it's personal. –He whispered back.

She tried to stand up, but she was still too weak, so she fell back at the berth. Knock Out moved a little as it was his reflex to help a falling Bot, but he knew she wouldn't accept his help at all. He forgot that Arcee was his enemy for a moment.

- Don't try standing up. It could only hurt you more.

-Humph. Like there's something that hasn't been hurt yet. –She stated and crossed her servos.

Awkward silence turned in again.

They were looking into each other's optics. One feeling pain and anger, and the other feeling lost and upset.

One looking at him with her now ice-cold blue optics, and the other one looking at her with his scared crimson-red optics.

He stepped back, looking how to run away from her sight, but he knew this is going to be the end of his not-yet started career as an Autobot.

And all he could do is feeling sorry for her and returning his sight at her.

She was injured, her servo full of hardened energon, her abdomen with a big scar, and some parts of her body scratched.

Again he could only think of nonsense, but he had to break the ice again.

-Looking good. - He said cowardly.

She was still looking at him like she was going to jump on him and offline him right away.

But he was standing still. He was watching every move she made, with caution.

Until she looked up and made a startled face, one what he didn't respond at first, but that was about to happen.

She was looking up, and everybody looked at the spot as she was watching. They all made that face, and Knock Out couldn't resist on seeing what was happening up there.

And then he saw it. Better said, him.

It was no other than the eyes and ears of Soundwave, the Mini-con, Laserbeak.

- How is this possible… -Ratchet suddenly stated and slightly shook his head. He remembered that Soundwave was stuck in the Shadow zone, and Laserbeak was his Mini-con which stayed with him.

- Looks like someone betrayed us. –Arcee stated and looked at Knock Out.

Knock Out was looking around, while everybody was looking at him.

-Wait… You don't honestly believe that I am the one who betrayed you? - He said looking scared.

-You were the only one around here. –Arcee stated and narrowed her optics.

-What? Why would I do that? I am no Decepticon any more, I'm one of you!

- I wouldn't say that. –She responded making him angry.

- You are just saying that because a stabbed you with the Energon Prod which I… -he suddenly stopped as everyone was looking at him.

No words could be heard, no movement.

Like they were all stabbed with the Energon Prod.

- Knock Out… -Bulkhead said.

-How could you? –Ratchet said and narrowed his optics.

-No, I mean… Fine. I'll tell you the story, just, please, listen to me. I was alone with Arcee, when I may have made her… scream. But I…

-Just stop it, Knock Out. You've made your point. –Smokescreen said, looking sad.

- No… You don't want to… No. Please, I…- he started to beg.

-I am going to change, believe me. I am. I just need some more time. I can make it right. I regret everything what I have done, but you can't just leave me now… -He clenched his hands together and bended a little to make himself looking smaller and weaker. He was using a tactic that earth animals were using to show that they meant no harm or that they are weaker or at a weaker position as the alphas.

-Why wouldn't we? You betrayed us to the Decepticons. –Bulkhead said loudly.

- I didn't! I would never… -he was trying to tell them, but he was interrupted.

- You are a spy. You never wanted to join us anyways. –Smokescreen stated.

- I did never such thing, I… -he fell on his knees and looked up at Bumblebee – You have to trust me. I am a friend…

- But you are no family, like I've said already. –Arcee said and Bumblebee looked at her and knew she was right.

- Please Bumblebee, where am I supposed to live if you are going to… -his optics were widening and he was trying to act cute.

- Knock Out, I thought I could see a friend in you. –He said.

Knock Out lowered his head as he knew what was following.

- But I was clearly mistaken. –He said and turned the Ground Bridge on.

Arcee's optics widened as she knew that she was responsible for that. She didn't know if she should be happy or a little sad now, as she was getting rid of him. She didn't even know if she wanted to get rid of him at the first place.

Knock Out's whole world in his head just shattered, and he lowered his head and hid his optics that were getting a little wet. He didn't want to leave, he wanted Arcee to leave. He finally got used to the life as an Autobot now, and he couldn't believe that it was already over.

Bumblebee nodded his head to Bulkhead who was standing near the Ground Bridge.

Knock Out wasn't prepared, but he accepted his fate, although he wasn't guilty at all.

Bulkhead put Knock Out's hands onto his back, and Knock Out started to struggle for more space.

-Hey! Watch the paint! –He hissed.

Arcee rolled her optics. If there was anything that would never change, it was his attitude and love for his paint job.

Just as she was smiling at his struggling, he turned around.

He looked at her with his big, red, now cute-looking, widened optics that were once looking evil and aggressive.

_He sure has changed. Just like… other things._

She remembered this sentence he shared with the others, her including, at the time of the short-period peace.

She lowered her head; she couldn't look at him anymore, not like this.

He saw her feeling pain, so he smiled artificially.

She saw that, and Knock Out could see a little smile showing itself on her faceplates before he was forcefully dragged out of the base, out of his home, his happiness.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Thoughts

They were walking through thick fog. Knock Out couldn't see a think except Bulkhead and the ground, but he knew he was at a place he never has been to before. It was something like a forest, but not exactly…

-Where are you going to take me? –He asked silently, gazing into the bigger bot.

- Where I have to take you. – He answered a bit considering for him, so that Knock Out concluded it wasn't going to be somewhere nice. It was going to be terrible. Knock Out lowered his head once again as he was feeling awkwardness.

They were silent again. Knock Out didn't even walk; Bulkhead was dragging him all the way. He was at his knees.

- You… didn't really listen to me when I said to you that you should watch the paint job, did you?

Bulkhead stopped and looked at him, but with no expression or word he turned back and started to drag him again.

-I will take this as a no, then. –Knock Out stated.

Bulkhead was silent. Knock Out went silent too, and they were like that for a few cycles.

- Your paint job isn't getting scratched. And it won't be as long as you're with me.

Silence turned in again for a moment, but the Knock Out finally realized what he meant and his optics widened.

-What do you mean by that? –He suddenly asked Bulkhead who then closed his optics.

Knock Out got a bit scared.

-_Bulkhead is closing his optics? HE? He scared? Is it… because of what is going to happen to ME?_

He opened his optics again.

-You are going from where you've came from. –Bulkhead stated with a silent voice, still looking as serious as Ultra Magnus.

-… No… You don't mean this serious, or? Is that some kind of prank you're pulling on me? - He said with a smirk on his face.

Bulkhead wasn't saying anything.

- This joke is getting worse, Bulkhead. Don't make me believe you~

He still wasn't saying anything.

-You'll like it. They've got a new ship. –He said looking at Knock Out who was still on his knees.

Knock Out turned silent then. He was trembling for a few cycles. Then he turned completely still, with no movement.

Bulkhead looked into his optics- they've turned into a lifeless red color, dark and upset.

He turned his head and continued dragging him.

-Bulkhead. You believe me, don't you? - He asked, his optics getting a little tone of color again.

He didn't say a thing again.

The fog was getting thicker as they were walking further, until they couldn't see each other anymore.

_-Is this a chance? _

He asked himself and tried to escape Bulkhead's big servos which were dragging him. He didn't have a lot of energy. He struggled, he scratched, and he tried to escape, even if he had to scratch his paint job.

Bulkhead didn't pay much attention on it. He knew all along that Knock Out is going to try to break free, so he was prepared. At the other hand, Knock Out didn't have a lot of energy so he was weak. And with Bulkhead's strength it wasn't very easy to escape his hold.

But Knock Out was sure he had to escape. He pulled and scratched as long as he could, until his engine started to make weird sounds that were saying that something is wrong. His head started to hurt again. He was feeling dizzy and the little sight he had was starting to fade. His servos were getting weaker, and he started to tremble again.

Bulkhead didn't even realize that, which was fortunately for Knock Out. He didn't want his FRIEND to see him like that. Yes, he still considered Bulkhead as a friend. But he was sure that Bulkhead wasn't considering HIM as a friend.

_-What is going on? I'm feeling that weird things again. Is that normal?_

_-Hmm… Maybe that before was just a hunch._

He was starting to feel like he was fading, but he still wanted to break away from the hold of Bulkhead.

He pulled and pulled, but nothing seemed to work.

But then, he heard some blaster sounds coming from far away.

-Scrap. –Bulkhead said looking into the mist that was covering his sight.

…

- Arcee, why didn't you tell us that he was still a Decepticon at the first place? –Ratchet asked, looking at her. They were all alone in his chambers which he wasn't sharing with Knock Out anymore.

- I don't know Ratchet. I just couldn't. - She answered looking into his optics.

- Don't tell me you actually felt sorry for him.

-No… -she said while he was still looking at her. –NO.

- That's at least something. –He said and turned around to face his computer.

Ratchet was always there for her. When she needed someone to speak to, it was always Ratchet. He trusted her, and she trusted him. They were very close, just like her and Bumblebee. But when she needed someone to talk, it was always Ratchet. He understood her words and feelings. With the time they've became good friends too. He was always there to help. He was listening to her stories about her life, and she really enjoyed talking with him about her problems because she knew that he would never betray her in any way, he was giving her advices how to solve her problems or issues. So, when Knock Out said_: __I'll guess you don't really like talking about things about yourself, _hewas completely wrong; she just didn't want to tell _him_. Knockout couldn't replace Ratchet's words. Maybe he could, but she didn't even want to think about it.

- So, Arcee, tell me why he wasn't fixing you up.

-What? Oh, yes… -she sighed.

- Can you remember it?

- I guess he just didn't want to. He was a spy, Ratchet.

- I know, Arcee. –He said.

After a few cycles he said –But I was starting to think that he was one really of us.

That sentence made her turn her head away from the orange medic.

-Ratchet, I would never trust him. Not him.

-But you did before, didn't you?

She was silent. Deep inside, she knew that she could trust him from the first moment of working as a team, but things got complicated because he was getting impatient. He wanted to be an Autobot… Still, she remembered his reaction to Starscream's attempt to offline Bumblebee.

*Flashback*

_Starscream and Bumblebee were fighting for the Immobilizer so that they wouldn't get scrapped, but Starscream soon pushed it towards the yellow/black Bot._

_-I will silence you FOREVER! –The silver Seeker stated and Bumblebee got a little scared, but then he saw that Knock Out's servo was passing through Starscream's armor and reaching the Immobilizer using the Phase Shifter's power he used to stuck Smokescreen into the wall as Smokescreen stuck him like that before. When he grabbed it, he pulled it to himself and as Starscream turned around to see what his plan was, he smacked the Seeker's head so hard that Starscream spun firstly, and then fell at the ground. The Immobilizer was sending little sparks out and the mech straightened and put his free servo at his hip._

_-Now will you believe I'm joining the winning team? –He stated and smirked, not knowing he actually destroyed the Immobilizer as Bumblebee said that it wasn't the Immobilizer._

_Bumblebee clenched his fists._

_Her, Bulkhead and Bumblebee were looking surprised at first, but then the yellow/black mech stated- Knock Out. We needed that!_

_She put her servos at her hips and Bulkhead looked at Bumblebee._

_-Wait… -Knock Out's optics widened and he lifted the, now broken stick up, and then looked back at them- It really was… the Immobilizer?_

*End of Flashback*

_-He really wanted to be a real Autobot…- _she was thinking_, _but couldn't say something like that to Ratchet.

- But he just isn't one of us.

- Not anymore. But do you remember a rookie who just hardly wanted to be an Autobot?

- Are you talking about…?

-Yes, Smokescreen.

Well, Smokescreen was acting a bit like that too. But Optimus wanted him to be the next Prime anyways.

-But he wasn't a Decepticon.

- Arcee, nobody is perfect. Don't you remember how Optimus has taught us? EVERYONE HAS THE POTENTIONAL TO BECOME GOOD. And if he went through a hard path and pain to get to us, he deserved to be a part of our family.

She couldn't trust her ears. Was that Ratchet talking? She knew the red mech has always been different than the other Decepticons. But she couldn't say anything like that to Ratchet. After all, she had her own attitude, and she was attacked by him.

Or… Wasn't she?

_-Maybe he didn't want me to move because I was losing too much energon. And… does that mean he actually considered about me?_

_-He was trying to stop me… He really was._

- Arcee? Do you hear me? – Ratchet asked, seeing her weird expression on her face.

- Yes. I was just… thinking. –She said.

- No more complaining?

- No. – She actually smiled again after all these days.

He smiled back and turned around again.

_-He was trying to get information out of me! He wasn't on our side. _

Ratchet went out of the room, and she closed her optics.

…

The whole night she was looking the scenes of their battle again and again, but the only thing she could hear was: _What happened to you? TELL ME! _ She was thinking about his rude attitude and all his ways that were just unacceptable. However, she liked him a bit before, but this feeling disappeared before she could show it. She was certain of that, but she didn't regret it in any way. She did understand him a bit, but not enough to accept him.

_-Why do I still think about him anyways?_

She was thinking, and couldn't do anything but open her optics again, even if she wasn't rested up enough.

She saw Ratchet standing where the door was; he was talking to someone whose voice was familiar, but she couldn't recognize it.

- What do you mean with _we have a slight_ _problem_?

- _Well, something happened._

- And Knock Out?

_- I don't know. When I woke up he wasn't there anymore._

-How badly are you hurt, Bulkhead?

_- Not so much, but, I fear I cannot stand up._

Arcee's mind got blocked for a moment. Bulkhead was badly hurt and Knock Out ran away. She couldn't help but groan loudly, making Ratchet turn around.

- Arcee, you shouldn't be awake!

- Ratchet… What was that with Knock Out?

- …Nothing. Go back into your recharge mode again. – He said and went out of the room again, leaving her alone.

_-Knock Out… isn't going to run away from his fate again. Not if I am still here. –_She narrowed her optics.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Slow but steady

-So, Bulkhead, tell me what happened again. How did you get that messy? –Ratchet asked and looked at all the scratches the large green Bot had.

Bulkhead was full of injuries; he was scratched from head to feet, with some scars and blaster markings on his body. His arm was hanging, he couldn't move it. His legs scratched like he was going through active razor blades, and not to mention full of dust like he was crawling through a cavern. His head had a big dark spot like he was shot into this spot and next to his right optic there was a big scar.

- Well, things got complicated- Bulkhead stated and looked into the orange medic's optics.

The medic didn't look at him; he was watching a shadow that was coming closer, slowly but steadily.

-Arcee, go back into the room. - He said and she widened her optics and frowned.

She didn't even know how he could have seen her again, but she went into her room anyways.

- She is being childish lately. –Ratchet said as an answer to Bulkhead's questioning face.

- Why?

- I don't know; but I think it has to do with… misunderstanding.

-You mean because of that Knock Out and me thing?

- What thing? Wasn't he the one who has done this to you? –Ratchet asked, finally looking into his optics.

Bulkhead started to laugh loudly, but soon after he saw the expression of Ratchet's face he stopped.

-Oh, you weren't joking? – Bulkhead asked, changing his expression.

Ratchet was just looking at him, his optics were narrowed and his servos crossed over his chest.

-You really meant that?

-Why would I joke in a time like this…? -Ratchet said with a sad voice.

- Oh. You really thought… no. He was so weak that I had to drag him. When the fog became thicker he was trying to get rid of me, of course. But he was so weak that he was hurting himself more than me, better said, it tickled.

Ratchet was looking at him weirdly, so Bulkhead continued.

…

- He doesn't want me to listen? Fine. –She was talking to herself as she was leaning onto the window and watching the starry sky.

- He doesn't want me to go outside and help? That's fine too. –She said turning her sight into the room again, walking over to the main computer.

- He doesn't want me to help them solve some issues? Well, I'm not tolerating that. –She said and opened a Ground Bridge.

- I will find him and avenge Bulkhead. –She clenched her fist and narrowed her optics.

She was walking into the ground bridge, still feeling pain, still being exhausted, still being scratched and still being badly wounded. She didn't care at all- she wanted to find him, the sooner the better.

Before she left, she took a deep breath to prepare herself on everything that could happen. She was finally ready to move a step closer to happiness- to her revenge on Airachnid. She knew that it won't bring her to the top if she gets rid of her good-looking companion, but it was a start. Her spark was tickling, trying to warn her not to go. But her processor wanted her to go, and so she battled with herself for a moment.

_-What if this is all just a misunderstanding? What if I'm doing the big mistake I thought he would be doing?_

_-No, he hurt me and Bulkhead. If I don't settle this, someone will become a new victim for him._

_-Although, he did look like he was just trying to help…_

_-But at the other side, he WAS a Decepticon._

_-And he would never give up something that brings him joy- the pain of others around him._

_-But he looked into my optics and smiled, like there was good in him, like he was trying to cheer me up…_

She smiled, but heard voices and steps coming from the hall, so she just jumped into the Ground Bridge.

She found something about herself strange though; she was arguing with herself like there were two Arcees in one.

She disappeared, and the Ground Bridge with her.

- Arcee, it was all a misunderstanding; Bulkhead told me… Arcee? –Ratchet asked as he couldn't see her in his lab.

There was no one, and Bulkhead leaned at Ratchet's shoulder and called Arcee too.

No answer.

- We've got another problem, Ratchet. –Bulkhead said while looking at him.

- It's might bigger than you think, - he said checking the Ground Bridge activities,- not only that she's wounded, if Knock Out, although he didn't do this to you, is somewhere out there, still online, we have a bigger risk of losing her. He could get revenge, he could offline her with no problems in her state, and she wouldn't even be able to fight back…

- So, we can't do anything about it?

- It would be useless; she went somewhere where something is blocking the energon signals from getting to us.

- So if she would be offline, we wouldn't even know?

-Exactly. –He said with fear in his optics.

…

-What is this place? -She asked seeing a big forest with energon crystals hanging down from the trees.

- It's really weird. I think I've never seen such forest, not on Cybertron…

The moon was shining at her way, shining on her faceplates and she suddenly felt comfortable.

She remembered the past. She remembered Tailgate and Cliffjumper holding her hand. She put her head onto the bots' shoulder, and they spoke to each other. They were just like that for hours and hours, they've completely lost any sense of time and all the pain they were feeling left.

She put her own servo onto her shoulder, waking up like that.

She didn't need a good night story at that time; she needed something to keep her from dreaming.

And she got that.

There was rustling in the nearby grass that was taller than her, so she couldn't figure out what that was.

She began charging her blaster, but it was too late.

A big Insecticon jumped out the grass and he hit her at the floor. She was fighting the best she could, but the Insecticon wasn't alone. There were many of them, too many to count.

Arcee battled bravely, but she didn't stand a chance to all those Insecticons who were scratching her and biting her, hitting her and flying around her.

One of them went too close to her for dodging his attack, and he cut her onto the scar she still had from before.

She fell onto the ground, optics closed, hope faded.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Mad Doctor

She was lying unconscious at the ground.

The moonlight was shining onto her, and she started remembering her fallen partners again.

But this time it wasn't a "good night story", it was merely a horror to watch.

Cliffjumper being stabbed into the chest, energon leaking from his body. It looked just like she had seen it with her own optics. Knock Out has told them the story when Arcee asked for it. He said he wasn't there then yet, but Starscream told this tale so many times that he could get the exact picture of it, just like he was there.

Just like Arcee saw it right now.

It was even worse with Tailgate, she has actually seen that live, but she woke up before she could see Airachnid stabbing him.

She breathed quickly, but she soon realized that this wasn't the smartest thing to do; energon was leaking from her scar and she felt like losing her life.

She couldn't reach the energon crystal above her; it was too high for her.

_-What did I think?_

- At least I'm going to see Cliffjumper, Tailgate and Optimus again… -she said closing her optics, preparing to leave this world.

But she heard a sound again. This time it was like steps were coming closer to her, so she panicked, but couldn't do anything, she was too weak to stand up.

The first thing she saw were red feet, then gray colored legs, then a red and black body armor with a special style, and at the end, she saw a white, illuminated face in the moonlight, with a red helmet and crimson-red optics looking down at her. She was surprised because he had not a single scratch, even after everything that happened.

That was her biggest fear, she was seen beaten and on the ground by the very enemy whom she wanted to do the same thing to- it was no other than Knock Out.

He was glaring at her. She felt uncomfortable, looking down.

He didn't smile, he didn't laugh, and he didn't even say a thing. She expected him to mock her, to teach her another lesson or to finish her off, but he didn't do anything like that, and he wasn't even planning it. He was just as surprised to see her as she was surprised to see him. He didn't know what he should do as he wasn't expecting her here. After seeing that she was helpless and weak, he lowered her optic ridges as he felt a little sorry for her.

He just went closer, and as she wanted to say something, stand up, she fell down again, making him kneel to face her. She was afraid he would do something to her, but he meant no harm.

-Arcee? You still awake? –He asked in his rude way again, his finger lightly knocking at her helmet.

She didn't answer, but she nodded her head. She lost almost all of her energy, so she couldn't speak any more.

He stood up straight and was looking onto the energon crystals, like he was picking the most beautiful-looking one. He picked exactly the one that she was trying to reach before, and then kneeled down to face her again.

-Here, –he said offering the energon crystal, -this will help you.

She looked into his optics, and he knew the question by looking into hers: _Why would you ever care about someone?_

So he answered – Because I was practically an Autobot. - He purred.

She still didn't trust him, but her spark was asking for the crystal, so she accepted his "little gift".

Soon after she ate it, he asked her –What are you doing here, Arcee?

- I… Nothing. –She lowered her optic ridges and looked away from him as she was a little ashamed of her behavior and her failure.

- Don't make me guess.

- Why would I want that? No, it's just...

-Revenge? – He asked, and could see Arcee's surprised face when he said it. She looked into his optics again.

- How did…

-You know? Oh, it wasn't really hard to guess what you'll be doing after all.

She went silent and lowered her head again.

-So… um… - he started, sounding a little bit embarrassed, - …can you stand up?

- I'll try. –She said, but as soon as she tried, she fell down again.

- I can't. I'm just too weakened.

-Don't tell me you've been fighting wounded again. –He smirked.

- Hey, you don't need to stick your nose into my live. –She narrowed her optics and their optics locked.

- So you still don't know me very well, do you? –He stated without changing his expression, and that made her look away once again.

He smirked even wider.

- I said I'm going to be there for you, don't you remember?

She didn't respond.

-And didn't I tell you not to fight like that? Yes, I did. And when did I tell you that? After the first time. And what did I tell you is going to happen? Exactly what now happened.

-Knock Out.

-Yes, _dear?_

- Just be quiet.

He smiled on that, but his smile vanished again.

- How are you supposed to come with me, if you can't stand up?

- Do I have to?

- If you want to stay online, sure. But if you don't want to stay online, it is going to be much easier for both of us.

She smiled and turned her head around because she didn't want him to see her smile.

-… Don't say anything to that what I'm going to do now, OK? - He asked and Arcee looked at him questionably.

She nodded her head after some time, and he came closer to her.

He put his servos under her back, and swiftly swept her up, bride-style. She was embarrassed. She almost blushed, but her fans started to work just in time. To be picked up like that by her enemy… it was weird. Could she even consider him as an enemy anymore? She didn't know. Under all that fear and pressure about his doing, she kind of felt relived too. Her spark tickled a little. She didn't know why, but she didn't like it.

_-So, he actually does care about someone… At least for a moment… But still, this is weird…_

Those were the only sentences she could think of in the moment.

_-That's just… awkward._

He knew that she's feeling the same thing as him.

But he still had to ask a thing.

-Arcee, are we… even now? –he asked looking at her while she was resting in his safe arms.

- We'll see Knock Out, we'll see. –She answered, stretching and closing her optics.

He couldn't help but smile. He couldn't actually believe that she fell asleep in his servos, that she felt that safe in them.

-That's exactly that kind of answer I was expecting. –He whispered into her audio and cutely smirked. With his free servo he reached for a device that opened a Ground Bridge. He went through it, and it closed.

…

He didn't sleep.

How could he even think about sleeping when his enemy was lying in the same room as he was, but this time she wasn't in the role of an enemy.

She was in the role of a patient.

He didn't want to start the analysis without letting her know first, but his processor was saying: _Go on. You don't need to wait._

How couldn't he listen to that, it was only logical. Maybe she isn't going to survive the whole night, and then he'd lose his enemy.

- Can I even consider her as an enemy anymore? –He was thinking loudly.

-Anyways, without further ado… - he said and grabbed some medical instruments getting closer to her.

- Hmm… Nothing that some buff and polish couldn't get done… - He said looking at her armor.

- I can fix those bigger ones too…

-But… -he suddenly stopped and remembered the events that happened before he got out of the "family". Arcee was acting strangely, and he didn't even tell the others what he saw. He remembered Breakdown's death… Because of her optics. They were quite reminding him on someone. On someone both of them hated, although the person's optics were pink, not red.

That was the main reason why he couldn't sleep. He couldn't recharge for days, and he couldn't help himself. His curiosity as a medic was his weakness. He can't stop thinking about it as long as he doesn't find out what it is.

- A little energon scan wouldn't be such a bad idea before I heal her… - he said looking down at her.

He took a container and went closer to her, and just as he touched her right arm which was still leaking a little, she suddenly woke up.

She was looking at him as he was holding the container and dumbly smiling.

- Um… Knock Out, what are you doing?

- Oh, Arcee. How does it feel? Knowing you're still alive?

Now she was glaring at him.

- I just wanted to test your energon; I didn't mean to wake you up…

- Why do you need a test of my energon? -She asked, trying to sit normally. Her servos couldn't hold her for a longer time, so she started to fall, but a servo of the medic caught her back and put her gently onto the medical berth again. His reflexes were still the same, regardless of the hate he was feeling towards the blue femme now. Not only had she thrown a train at his face in the past, she also never considered about his feelings. She didn't even accept him as an Autobot. But now it was too late anyways.

- How many times do I have to tell you that? Don't play with your life, Arcee.

-Seems like more times than you did. –She said.

- I'll take this as the answer of your system's health.

- So, I'm fine again? – She asked and her optics twinkled for a moment. Seeing her cold blue optics getting warmer, he couldn't be really angry at her for a long time.

- Well, not yet, but soon. And I still need your energon, so if you could stand still for a moment…

She stayed like that and he took a little energon from her, put it into some devices and started the analysis. He was looking at the monitors, viewing each little detail, opening his optics widely.

- Why do you need to test my energon?

He was silent for a moment, and she thought he isn't going to answer. He was staring at the monitor without even blinking, seeming a little upset. Then he looked at her like he has seen a ghost.

- I was afraid of that question. But what could I except from an Autobot like you? –He rudely stated, and he noticed that she didn't mind for his rudeness.

- That day when you and I were…

- Beating the scrap out of us? –She said smiling.

-Yes, that day. Well, you don't remember anything about how did you end up in my servos, do you?

- Well, if you say it like that, I really can't remember that.

- Well, I can tell you.

He said and sat her up gently.

- You might want to sit down. –He said with a joke, but didn't smile.

He sat right next to her, ensuring to her that she doesn't fall down.

- I have to analyze you fully. That means that I have to take your energon and study it closely, because something… is wrong with you.

She gave him a questioning look, and he continued.

- Yes, Arcee, that DOES mean that I didn't see a problem like that in my entire life. But it sure is reminding me on something…

- On what?

- Better said, on someone. On someone you won't like. And what could happen if I don't find it out in time…

He was silent for a moment, and then looked into her optics.

They were filled with fear and insecurity, waiting and expecting the worst from the medic she had to be together in a room right now.

-Airachnid. When you were on Cybertron…

-Yes. I encountered Airachnid, but she wasn't the one I knew before. She was acting weirdly, and surprisingly, wasn't even speaking. She was trying to stab me, but I was dodging every attack of hers. She may have scratched me with one of her leaking legs, but I defeated her, although she escaped once again at the end.

- When I was still a Decepticon, Arcee… She escaped from her prison.

- But what does it have to do with me? –She finally asked, running out of patience.

- Your optics turned red like a Terrorcon Vehicon's.

She was silent, still looking at him.

-You said she scratched you. Did your pain begin after that?

- Yes, exactly.

- Than I do have a theory, but…

- Knock Out… - she finally ran out of patience, showing all of her agitation and fear in her deep blue optics.

He sighed loudly.

-Arcee… - He said and put her servo into his two.

- I'm afraid she's a Terrorcon now.

- …But that means…

He lowered his head, but was still searching for her optics that were all wet from fear now. He stroked her servo with his thumb, and then raised his head up as she was close to crying.

- Arcee, -he said- we may be enemies, but I will try to help you, at all my costs.

A tear slid down her faceplate, and it was soon followed by another one.

He was looking at her, and he didn't know what to do; this is the first time someone openly cried in front of his optics.

- Hey, don't cry… We can still be enemies… - he said intending to put a smile on her face, but this time it didn't work.

- Knock Out… - she cried out his name.

He trembled by hearing her sad voice.

_-Arcee crying? This has to be a dream._

…

_-But it's not. I'm holding her servo._

…

_-Wait, why am I still doing that?_

She tried to pull her servo out of his two, but he didn't let her go. She looked at him. He suddenly pulled her close to himself and hugged her.

- Knock Out… -she said.

- You don't need to say anything. – He actually said.

- But… If I survive… -she said putting her head onto his shoulder, leaning towards his body, servos on his chest.

- Yes, _mein Fräulein_?

- We'll be more than even. – She said letting a tear to slide down her faceplate.

They were in that position for a long time; they didn't move. The room was dark, just a little spot of light was shining on the table and the electronics in the back that weren't working anymore.

There was no sound; the only thing that was to hear was Arcee's occasionally sobbing.

She didn't know where she was or what she is going to do, but she was sure that Knock Out won't hurt her…

At least not yet.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Cries of past

It was cold. She curled up, but it didn't help. Sure, she didn't feel uncomfortable anymore by being in a hug with her enemy, but he had given her warmth. For a moment she wished to be in his servos again, but then she shook her head to get this thought out of her mind. She opened her optics slowly, realizing that he was no longer in this room. She was relieved, but she wasn't very happy to be left in this room alone.

She stood up carefully because her legs were still weak and hurt. She could see that the scratches disappeared, but her scar was still there.

She felt a little dizzy at first, but it went away by time.

- Let's investigate. –She said to herself, but wishing she wasn't alone in this complicated situation right now.

She started with the interior. There were computers everywhere, some lights lightly flashing from time to time. The floor was all dusty. Then she rapidly turned around, making her dizzy again, but she wasn't caring about that.

She saw that nobody was there.

- I honestly thought someone was walking behind me… -she said walking carefully, looking into every corner of the room.

- Okay, I guess it is safe…

She kneeled to touch the floor when she realized that there was old energon on it. She trembled a little, but she wasn't scared to find out from where it was coming from. She walked into the big hallway from which it was coming from.

- I've got a bad feeling about this… -She quietly stated.

Then she saw the dusty walls, and she knew nobody was in there for a really long time.

There was no light coming from any corner, it was all dark. Fortunately, it was day so there was little light that was showing her the way.

There were webs around her and she trembled again.

If she was infected with the poison, and Knock Out doesn't heal her…

_-Knock Out! _–she remembered.

_-If he is not here anymore, that could mean… He could have run away… because he didn't know how to heal me…_

_-Did he leave me behind?_

She stopped walking. But then she remembered his sentence again and she felt that her hope was rising once again.

_Arcee, -he said- we may be enemies, but I will try to help you, at all my costs._

She moved on.

As she was passing through all the webs, she started to think about Airachnid again. That spider that had been scrapping all of her hope again and again. Arcee shook her head again; she didn't need pictures that were lowering her hope.

She finally passed the hallway and got into a little room.

Then she looked around once again. In front of her, there was a big monitor connected to some strange devices that were looking like in the Deceptions' laboratories.

She suddenly turned right. There was hardened energon on the wall and floor, and it was going under her feet onto the left side. She was scared to see what was on the left side.

But then she gathered courage, and swiftly turned around.

She saw a big silver-colored body, armor with a Deception logo on it, surrounded by hardened energon. Long legs and arms with long fingers were hanging from the body. The 'Con was clearly offline. Then her head started to look up, and she saw a big head, lifeless lowered. And the 'Cons optics were lifeless too, there was no doubt he was offline. She screamed in fear when she realized that this was a 'Con she knew- Starscream.

She turned around and ran with her full speed, and she didn't even think of transforming into vehicle mode.

She didn't stop, she couldn't. She was running the fastest she could; soon she got out of the hallway again, but didn't stop running. The shock in her head was controlling her body, making it go faster and faster. Her head was exploding, her legs feeling like being stabbed on every step, her scar on her abdomen was hurting too. But she still didn't stop.

She even ran further than onto the medical berth- she wanted to run away, all the way out.

While she was dashing, she didn't realize that someone was in front of her. She was directly running toward his direction, until she slammed into him.

She fell at the ground, along with him.

She closed her optics tightly, feeling too much pain.

Then she felt an urge to open her optics, so she did it.

She saw that she was lying on an ex-con who was lying on the dusty floor.

- Knock Out? –She silently asked.

- Good morning to you too, dear. –He said looking surprised and confused, but still relaxing.

- Sorry. I didn't mean to… -she was gasping her words out in pain.

- Arcee, what have you been doing? – He asked and helped her to get down from him. –And look at that, you can stand on your legs.

- You saw me running, didn't you?

- I did. I just wanted to hear it from you. – He said standing up slowly.

- But why were you running?

- Starscream… Why? How? Did you?

- Starscream? – He asked looking confused again.

-Oh, you mean his lifeless clone? –He asked after thinking about it.

- C… Clone?

- Yes. I don't even know how it got here… didn't you say he used him to enter your base…? Anyways, I was terrified when I saw him too.

- I would have loved to see that reaction. –She smiled.

He smiled back, giving her the energon container that he was keeping in his hand all the time, even when she took him, along with herself, down.

She accepted the bottle, and he escorted her to the berth once again.

- Where were you? –She asked and looked up to see his optics, carrying the container with both of her servos.

- I was… -he stopped and started to look like he was thinking.

- Ah, I was just scanning the area.

- Knock Out? Where are we, anyways?

- On… the Harbinger.

- On Earth? - She asked and widened her optics.

He smiled on that, quickly turning around to face the monitor again.

- Seems like you are in better shape today, but you're not allowed to run like this just because of that.

- I… know. It's just that I… -she started while he was looking at her questionably.

- I'm listening.

_-Ok, this time I'll have to tell HIM the truth, since Ratchet's not here._

He was looking at her like he was a little worried.

A little.

- I… didn't really believe that you would return after you left…

- But you were hoping it, right? –He asked with a cocky voice.

She smiled on that.

- Like I would ever care. –She said after some time.

He smiled on that, knowing she meant _yes _with that.

- Why not close your optics again? You need a good rest so you could heal more quickly. You don't need to be scared about my doing. I'll keep an eye open at myself. –He said and winked, and for a long time he wasn't as reasonable as now.

- You're the doctor. –She said, lying onto the berth once again. It was cold, but she was rather lying on the cold table than arguing with him once again.

She was looking at him as he was getting out of the room into the hallway that was leading to the big monitor where the Starscream clone was hanging.

- How's it humming? –He asked the lifeless body, smirked and continued. He was in a really a good mood today.

She closed her optics again, and she felt comfortable. She didn't mind the cold or dust, now she was minding her safety more than any other thing.

The light in the room was fading, it started to rain heavily, and she smiled, without even caring if she was seen by him or not.

…

He curled up in the corner. The berth was the only thing to sit, but there was Arcee.

_-That femme sure has some unique style of telling things._

He wanted to help her, even if he still didn't know how. But he swore to her AND to himself that he'll help her.

Then his smile vanished from his faceplates.

_-Why do I want to help her?_

He was looking angry, but inside of him his spark was tickling.

-The last time I was feeling like that was with Breakdown. Although, it wasn't JUST like that. It was somehow different.

- Breakdown… - he started to remember his past, while it was thundering outside. He could hear the rain dropping onto the roof of the Harbinger; he liked the sound of the heavy dripping.

- No, I don't want to remember! –He said like arguing with someone, but it was just him.

- I don't want to remember you, Breakdown! Get out of my head! – He shouted silently.

But he was remembering. Their work together… was more than just work. They've shared so many secrets with each other. They have laughed for hours, and were taking care of each other. They were playing around with their work, while the others were working hard. They were helping each other and were imitating Starscream behind his back.

Those were good memories, but he didn't want to remember them at all. He was sure that he wouldn't feel that good anymore.

He was walking down the hallway and trying to forget about him once again.

But Breakdown was stuck in his head, now that he'd been remembered by Arcee those days.

He reached the room in which Arcee was sleeping now, and he wanted to hit someone as hard as he could; what was he doing?

He was helping the Autobot who had always been rude to him, whom he battled all these years, and was her enemy now. He wasn't just helping her, he was considering about her, his spark was acting crazy when he would see her in pain. But his processor wanted to see her in pain.

- What would you want me to do, Breakdown? –He asked looking into the sky, not letting himself to cry out loudly.

He was feeling even worse than when he'd been run over a train. Which was Arcee's doing too, and he would never forget that as it traumatized him.

He wanted to disappear, vaporize, run away, cry, shout.

He wanted his life to get better, not worse.

He ran out on the rain, crying out before that.

Arcee heard his cry and woke up, thinking of such bad things that she shivered. But there was no one here anymore. She looked out of the window and she saw him running away.

She quickly stood up, still feeling pain, but she didn't mind it at all. She ran out too, trying to reach him.

But he was fast. Too fast for her to catch him.

_-Why is he running like that?_

Frustrated, Knock Out was stepping hardly on the floor, running against the wind and rain drops, not even noticing that he's being followed.

He ran like that for cycles, until he reached his favorite spot. It was a big cliff that wasn't covered with anything. It was smooth and hard, cold but a good place for gazing at the stars at night. Every night he was here, he was staring at the starry sky. But now there were no stars.

Rain was dropping hardly and disconsolately at him, but he wasn't even caring. He was crying.

He saw Breakdown getting killed by Airachnid, even if he wasn't there. But he felt like he was now.

- Why Breakdown? Why did you have to leave me alone on this cruel world? Why were you so self-considered?! So sure that you won't need help?! Why did you do this to me?! You were my best friend Breakdown! - He cried out loudly, while Arcee was listening to him in the back. Her servos were closed, and her optics looking sad.

- She's going to pay for that, my friend. Although you liked her, although she is already a Terrorcon, although I'm afraid of them! I will avenge you, trust me. I will. – He said lowering his head.

Arcee didn't want to bother him; but he was crying.

She never knew she would see such a self-centered Bot crying for someone else's life.

She was walking over to him, while he was sitting on the edge of the cliff, looking down at the road.

- If I would just jump… All my pain would go away… But I swore to help Arcee at all costs. I grew too soft. And I don't like it. – He said standing up.

Arcee was scared he'd jump, letting her alone.

- Don't, Knock Out!

He turned around and suddenly he felt like he really could jump down from this cliff, even though he just wanted to walk away. He was ashamed. Too ashamed. His "enemy" saw him crying, and was still seeing him crying.

-As you would care. – He said and narrowed his optics.

- Knock Out, we might be enemies, but now we need each other!

- Really, Arcee? You do need me, but do you think that I need you?-He shouted over to her, tears still sliding down his faceplates.

She was silent. She knew he doesn't need her in any way. She was blocking him, giving him worries and making him feel pain.

- I don't need you, Arcee! I don't need anyone! –He shouted over to her again, and his spark hurt.

He looked down again, walking away from the cliff after that.

- Nothing else? Why did you come here anyways?

- I just wanted to… I don't know. I felt like I should have come here.

He turned around, walking away.

- Well, you shouldn't. I don't need an Autobot like you to- he stopped when he looked over to her.

Her optics were wet again, not because of the rain, because of his behavior.

- I… - he tried to make it right, walking over to her.

- You have said what you feel; I don't want to insult you any longer. –She said looking into his optics that were wet too.

He looked like he was feeling sorry for his behavior.

- I didn't want to hurt you, Arcee. It's just I have been a Decepticon for a long time, and attitude doesn't go away just like that. –He said while the rain was dropping onto their helmets, and put his right servo behind his head.

- Knock Out, you have said the truth. I'm just… too involved into your life.

-Well, seems like we are quite different, but still similar. – He said.

- And I know how you feel. At least you didn't have to watch how your partner dies.

- Didn't you say that your partner was Cliffjumper and that you didn't even know that Starscream killed him?

-Well, I had two partners.

He looked at her.

- I'm listening. –He said.

-His name was Tailgate… We were very close to each other, just like you and Breakdown. But one day, we were on a mission and Airachnid…

- Airachnid? - He said and she could see the anger in his optics while they were leaking tears.

- She made him suffer right in front of my optics. She killed him without hesitation. Then she was picking up his energon and she was writing on the walls with it. She tortured me to watch all of it. Every single detail. Then, Bumblebee and Cliffjumper rescued me, and that is how I've met Cliff and joined team Prime.

- And now he's dead too… - he said like he actually understood her.

- But… I don't want Breakdown to be gone! –He shouted out angrily again, making her squirm.

- Breakdown was my ONLY friend! Unlike you, I haven't got friends… He was the only Con whom I could trust… It just isn't fair… -he said with pain in his voice, shivering when he said that.

- Knock Out, I'm…

He hugged her, pressing her close to his body. His tears started to leak faster.

- And the worst part is- I couldn't help him. I'll never forgive myself for that! I wasn't good enough, I couldn't do anything…

- It's not your fault Knock Out, it's… - she said and looked at him.

He was pulling her close to him, sobbing and crying.

She couldn't help but sharing the hug with him, they both felt uncomfortable, but they shared their pain. And Arcee knew how it was for him. She knew the pain, and she was feeling sorry for him.

- Arcee… It's my entire fault… I don't want to lose you too!

She was surprised to hear that from her ex-enemy. She didn't feel bad though, it made her spark tickle. This moment was weird, she knew it, he knew it.

But they were trying to like it, even if they didn't.

-Don't tell this to anyone, OK? –He asked looking into her beautiful, blue optics that were looking at him with care, with understanding.

- Of course not. - She said while he was putting his head onto her shoulder, crying out.

Knock Out was feeling awkwardness in every move he made, but he didn't care. Arcee understood him, and all he wanted was understanding and a little care. The last time someone gave that to him was Breakdown, and he felt relieved that someone was providing him that again. He was grateful to Arcee, now knowing that she doesn't hate him like he thought. At least not that much.

It was thundering above them, but they didn't mind for that anymore. They didn't mind on time too. Knock Out didn't even mind if someone is going to see them.

He just wanted to be in her hug as long as possible.

His mind was blocked once again. He hated himself for being so soft. That's why he was always failing in his past as a Decepticon. Fortunately, nobody saw him whining, but if they would, he would get scrapped just like that.

He tried to stop crying, but he couldn't. He started to sob loudly, snuffling every ten seconds.

- Knock Out…

- I know, I'm such a wimp. –He said freeing himself from her hug- I shouldn't keep you here; you're still not in perfect condition.

- No…

- Just go, Arcee. It would be much easier for both of us.

- It would be easier for me, but not for you, Knock Out. –She said grabbing his servo.

-Acting like you understand. Arcee, it's just too painful for me to stay here in the cold rain with YOU holding me. I don't want anybody to support me, I don't want anybody to raise me up, to understand me; not even to stand by me.

- I know you don't. –She answered, trying to prevent him to go away.

- Than why _the frag_ are you still here?! –He cried out, looking angry, but hurt.

- Because you are saying something that you don't mean! I can sense it.

He disliked her for that. She was right, he wasn't meaning it, but he did want to mean it.

- How could YOU possibly know about the life of a former Decepticon? I'm not like your _family _on Cybertron. I am a different kind of Bot.

She could see that the worst thing she ever said to him was that he wasn't part of the family. And now he didn't want to forget about it anymore.

- You are maybe different… But you still _are_ one of us.

He wasn't trying to walk away anymore; he wasn't trying to escape her servo anymore. He looked into her optics, and she saw that he calmed down a little.

After a quiet moment he started to talk again and lowered his head.

- I WAS one of you.

- Yes, you were one of us. – She said looking onto his tear which was gliding down his faceplate.

- …Let me go Arcee. It isn't like you need me or something.

- If you haven't noticed it yet, I do need you.

He looked into her optics looking surprised, while tears were still visible on his faceplates.

- For healing me. –She said with humor.

He smiled and snuffled again, but his smile went away again, sadness taking over his body once again.

- Look, I didn't want anybody to be close to me too. But that was a big mistake. –She stated.

He relaxed his tense arm, coming closer to her once again, so he could hear her soft voice.

- I was left alone. Felt terrible. They gave me freedom and space, but then I realized that I needed them. But it was too late. I was sobbing all alone, feeling terrible, making myself another soft spot. And it was hurting every day and every night. I still have nightmares. Just because I wanted to be alone, and they actually listened. –Her voice was quivering as she was saying that.

Knock Out closed his optics tightly, trying not to let tears touch his faceplates again.

- And you have to cry. You have to let it go. Don't question my understanding. Never.

He sobbed again, letting a tear touch his right faceplate.

- I…- he tried to say something, but didn't get to it.

He started to cry loudly again, closing his optics tightly and he didn't mind for anything once again.

Then he felt a soft servo touching his helmet lightly, and he let the servo do that.

Then, the other servo wandered onto his neck, and he loudly sobbed again.

-Just let it go, Knock Out. We'll forget everything tomorrow, ok?

He suddenly hugged her again, kneeling down a bit, no words coming from him. He wrapped his servos around her waist and pulled her close to him, and then releasing stress out from his servos as they were gently touching her back now. He just nodded his head. Rain continued to fall and it was thundering above them. It was very late now; no light could be seen in the nearness or distance.

Her optics looked down at him, and she knew that she couldn't leave him alone like that. He didn't want to open his optics once again, he was sure that he wanted to stay just like this. He couldn't help but wonder why she didn't leave him alone at the first place. But he was sure he would regret it if she did that before.

It was still feeling awkward, but he wanted to stay like this forever.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Return of the pain

He woke up lying on the floor, with no Arcee close to him.

- Well, I guess I should return… -he said looking around to face her, but she wasn't there.

His body was bathing in sunlight, making him smile after some time. He stretched out while still lying at the floor, and he saw a few birds flying above him.

- Something tells me that this is leading to a better time. –He said leaning at his servos to stand up.

As he was getting back to the Harbinger, he was sure she is already going to pretend that nothing happened last night. He wasn't questioning her _understanding_.

Sunlight was shining onto his armor that looked clean and shiny now. He was finally able to be the good-looking, self-absorbed mech again.

He was thinking about her while he was looking at the Harbinger from the distance. He was thinking about them.

He tried to get those pictures out of his processor before entering his hideout, but it wasn't working. He couldn't get her out of his head, no matter how hard he tried.

- Come on Arcee; get out of my head before I get crazy…

He entered his hideout and saw -nothing.

Nothing special, and by special he was thinking on Arcee.

- _I have to get her out of my head! -_ He was thinking while he was circling around his chambers in search of the two-wheeler.

- Come out, come out, wherever you are… -he was calling her.

No answer.

-Humph. –He didn't mind. He shrugged his shoulders and continued the path into the room where the big screen was.

He passed the hallway, he reached the room. It looked just like before: dusty, ugly, technically. And dusty.

Then he heard some noise behind him. He turned around, turning his hand into a saw.

- Ok, no more games! Show yourself- he said while looking into a frame which was leaning onto the doorstop.

- Didn't expect you to be here that early. –She said while he was looking at her with widely opened optics.

He didn't say anything on that, he just turned around again.

- So, what are you doing? –She asked just like nothing happened yesterday.

It was quite nice of her to remember their agreement, but deep inside of him, he wanted her to act like something _did_ happen.

- Working. And how are you?

-Can't complain.

-Good. –He said rolling his optics, hiding that from her by being turned to her with his back.

She turned around, walking away from him again.

- Knock Out! – She shouted after some time and he immediately turned around, looking first left, then right.

- Arcee? What is it? –He asked loudly, waiting for her respond.

But it didn't come.

- Arcee! – He shouted, hearing his voice which was full of considering.

_-I have to work on my voice too._

He ran through the hallway, and when he reached "Arcee's room", he saw her gasping heavily.

She was kneeling on the floor, servo on her scar again, gazing into his optics when he came closer to her.

He looked at her with optics widened like he was questioning what was happening around him.

- Knock Out… It's happening again!

His optics widened even more and his mind was going crazy, he didn't know what to do.

- Arcee… are you sure? -He asked looking into her mournful optics.

- The same pain I've felt before… It's happening again, no doubt… Knock Out, what are you going to do?

He trembled.

This question came out of the blue.

_Knock Out, what are you going to do?_

He looked down.

- I mean… if I attack you, you will fight back, won't you?

- I… I'm not quite so sure about that…

-Knock Out, if you'll have to you'll fight, ok?

- Are you even listening to yourself? You sound like I should care about _my_ safety, and not about yours.

- So you want to be infected too? –She asked while he was looking around himself, clearly trying to think of something.

- Of course not, but… I will fight back, but I'm not going to hurt that much as last time.

- You could finally get rid of me. –She said smiling before she closed her optics.

- Don't you worry; I'll get rid of you… But not that easily. –He smiled and grabbed his Energon Prod that was in the corner.

When Arcee opened her optics again they were red, even more than they were before. She quickly stood up, and her energon level was sinking once again; this state of her was draining too much energy out of her. She showed her battle weapons: one hand turned into a blaster, and the other was with a blade.

He didn't respond.

_-I just need to wait till she comes into the right position…_

She shot first. He jumped away swiftly, raising the dust off the floor. He was still waiting. She blew a few shoots that all missed, so she got furious and started to attack him with _both_ of her blades.

He was enduring the hits, "dancing around" with the Prod in his right servo. As she was getting closer to him, he was getting further from her, as long as he didn't reach the corner.

She tried to kick him a few times, but he endured that too; he took her leg and hit her onto the floor, as the dust was rising up once again.

Then he straightened himself again, waiting for her to attack him.

She jumped on him again, blades still on her servos. He was getting ready, but she was faster this time. She used her blades against him by stabbing him into his chest and scratching him a few times. Then she kicked him, so that he fell onto the floor.

- You've got luck that I have sworn that I won't hurt you as much as I did before. –He said acting like he doesn't mind a few scratches.

She released a battle cry as she started to run towards him again, but he swiftly jumped onto his feet.

She missed him, and fell onto the ground.

-And this is what you get when you mess with a soldier, who is also a medic. –He smiled with his Decepticon-looking optics again.

- I'll give you something too. –She said and jumped on him once again.

There was no time to act, and he got smashed onto the floor. His Energon Prod fell onto the ground, rolling away from him.

He tried to escape her hold, moaning a little; but it wasn't working.

He saw her servo going up, preparing to scratch him with her blade.

And she did that. And again, and again, and again. She wasn't giving up. He was still moaning and trying to escape from her.

- Lady, you're ruining my paint job! –He hissed loudly –And I'll let you know that you are never going to scratch my paint job again. That's going to be your lesson. Lesson number 2.

After he said that, he gathered all his strength and tossed her away, making her shout from pain.

He ran over to his Energon Prod and then over to her again.

He pushed her with the Prod, hitting her onto the wall.

Then he threw the Energon Prod away and grabbed her throat with his servo, pressing her against the wall, making him smile like a Decepticon once again. Not because of her pain, because of revenge he was seeking for a long time.

She closed her optics.

As he was pressing her against the wall, he was coming closer to her, face to face.

He turned his other servo into a drill bit, coming closer to her face.

She opened her optics, realizing that he is trying to drill a hole into her faceplates.

- Not going to hurt as much as last time, huh? You were right; it is going to hurt even more. –She said looking at him with her wonderful blue optics again.

- Arcee? –He asked and turned his drill bit into his servo again.

- You don't need to lie; you really _wanted_ to get rid of me.

- No, I was just, my paint job was just…

She rolled her optics.

- Just as I was beginning to trust you. –She said looking angrily at the ex-con.

He released her from the wall and she limped over to the berth.

- Listen, it's not what you think it is… I'd never…

- Just like the last time. And I was hoping our "conversation" yesterday cleared your mind from those things. -She said while crossing her servos.

He was sure his spark just bounced up.

-I thought we agreed something. –He said looking at her.

She was scratched, dusty and hurt again, and she sat onto the berth once again.

He turned around and walked into a corner and picked something up. Then he came closer to her.

- You know I wouldn't do that. –He stated and sat next to her just like the last time.

- Do I?

- Yes. This time, I can sense it. –He said staring into her optics.

She turned away.

-Come on, to kill you just like that, it would be no fun. –He said, although they both knew that he would _never _want to kill her after what happened.

- Hey, it's nothing a little buff couldn't hide.

She looked at him once again.

He was showing his cocky smile once again, titled head and his optics were telling her that he is telling the truth.

- Come on, don't be so grumpy, _mademoiselle._

She smiled on that. His accent was just cute. She couldn't help herself but to slowly forget what happened.

- But you weren't even caring about me, and you have promised it.

- _Moi? Tout à fait contraire_. If I wouldn't care about you, your lovely features would be torn off by now, don't you think? –He said smirking.

-Whatever. –She said and lowered her head again. She was still hurt and feeling insulted as he broke a promise, and she had quite a past with broken promises so she couldn't stand them anymore.

Seeing that, he stood up but kneeled right in front of her to search for her optics. She looked at him while her head was still lowered, and he cutely smirked. He took her servo and put his own Prod into it. She looked at it and widened her optics as she knew that his Prod was meaning something special to him. It was filled up with memories, and she couldn't believe that he handed it over to her, his enemy. His initials were engraved into it, right in the middle of it.

He stood up and started walking towards his room again, noticing the little smile on her faceplates before leaving.

-_What a stubborn femme, -_ he was thinking as he was walking through the hallway- _how am I supposed to help her when she has that attitude?_ –He said looking back, but he was already too far from her to see her.

- _I wonder what she thinks of me… -_he started to think, but he shook his head when he realized that he is daydreaming once again.

- _Snap out of it, Knock Out, you're working solo now._ –He completely changed his attitude.

He was serious-looking, going to his monitor with her energon test which he had taken before their "night agreement".

- _I don't feel like I should help her anyways. She is always… just ruining my paint job. But why do I keep feeling like I have to help her? Argh… Those feelings are going to take me down if I don't stop being such a softy._

He was studying the energon once again, calculating the energy loss of before and after the rain and their battle right now. And he got the result that she needs to recharge, now. And time was running. She needed a cure. Soon.

- Great, now I have to find a cure for her too?! This is just getting better. – He complained.

- _Just problems with her, and I still care about her. My mind just keeps spinning. I can't stand this anymore, this awkward silence; while I know… -_he shook his head again – _I know nothing._

He went to work. He was trying it for hours, but none was the right cure. But then…

_-Now, if I mix the synthetic energon which I have kept secretly, normal energon and the cure for the __Cybonic plague__, I might be able to mix something stable for the cure. Now I just need to test it…_

But he didn't know on whom he should test it, he didn't want Arcee to test it if it isn't good.

_-If I got it right, she should be in stasis when I use it onto her, because it makes you fall down if you aren't in stasis. Then it makes you dizzy and paralyzes you… but then your wounds heal from inside and outside, and the cure destroys the cause of the infection._

He looked onto the cure which he was holding.

- I really make too many sacrifices for her- he said and turned his servo into his saw. He closed his optics in fear and neared the saw to his chest, cutting it, making little sparks fly over him.

He turned the saw into his servo again and looked onto the wound that was freshly made. Then he took a drop of her energon and infected himself. He could feel that the infection was spreading all over his body, so he vaccinated himself with the cure.

Like he was thinking, he fell down because his legs couldn't hold him anymore and then got dizzy, then paralyzed. But the cure healed his wound in front of his optics.

So he did it. He invented the cure.

After a few cycles, he stood up again, took the container with the cure and ran into the hallway once again.

-Arcee, I've… -He stopped as he reached the room as it was empty, Arcee wasn't there anymore. He immediately knew what could have happened to her, so he wasn't afraid to go and search for her.

- Aw, scrap. This is just getting better and better. –He said running, then jumping, and then transforming into alt mode. He drove out, leaving the base empty once again.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Sacrifice

He was undoubtedly caring for her. As much as he was trying to get her out of his head, she wasn't leaving.

- Arcee! Where are you?! –He was calling her, but nobody was answering.

- That femme… -he stated.

He transformed into robot mode once again, calling her name as loud as possible; but still no answer.

- If I was a confused and Terrorcon infected femme who isn't thirsty of energon, where would I go? –He asked himself.

This was the first time he had ever been in this situation. A femme that he started to care about had a situation which he saw for the first time in his life. He knew all kinds of stuff; from energon to every reaction of the body that could be seen in some processes, but this was clearly a new disease that he was dealing with. He experienced pain and patient madness, but this was completely different. This was Arcee.

- Arcee! Come back! What are you doing to yourself?! –He asked loudly and stretched his servos out.

No respond.

- I knew I should have built her a chip into her servo, so I would know where she was… But no, my "sick" mind believed that she is going to stay calm after all what happened! –He was complaining about himself.

-Arcee! –He yelled so loud that ravens flew up into the sky.

-How far did I just travel? –He asked himself while the sandy wind was blowing at him, rising sand up and throwing it at his faceplates.

-Arrgh! My optics! –He loudly stated as the sand got into them. He put his servos at his optics and started to shake his head. He remembered the event when the agent sprayed something into his optics and he couldn't see.

- I'll never agree to help her anymore. –He said with a grumpy voice.

- She couldn't get that far… -he said while he was looking into the distance, not seeing much.

He put his servo onto his forehead, not only to protect his optics, but to see further by doing that too. There was no sun; the sky was dark brown and without any clouds. It was somehow strange. Like there was…

- Another storm coming up… -he said worrying for himself and for the blue femme.

_-I have to find her before it is too late._

Then the wind strengthened, so he was pushing forward even harder than before.

The wind was dragging all kinds of things around- sand, thrash, plants.

The wind strengthened even more- in result he fell down onto the sand, face first.

After a short pause, he pulled his head out of the sand, having optics closed tightly because sand has gotten into them once again.

-_If I ever find her again… I'll revenge myself for that too._

He slowly reopened his optics, while his view still wasn't sharp enough to continue.

But he had to- if not, something bad would happen to Arcee, or even worse, to him!

As his optics' sight wasn't returning, he started to crawl through the sand.

_-Ok, I won't forget that, Cee._

He couldn't see a thing, but he actually didn't have to, as long as the weather wasn't getting worse. But it was. More sand was blowing up into the sky, enough to burry a car into sand.

- Good think that I transformed into my robot mode again.

He was crawling for hours, low on energon supplies and feeling terribly, his head hurting, feeling pain, optics short on sight, servos and legs almost left with no energy.

He felt like his body was trying to faint every time he moved, spark hurting and when he pushed himself too hard, he'd fall down. This was happening every fifteenth cycle.

But he didn't give up. He could have given up hours ago. But he didn't. His spark was pushing him to go forward.

Every time he wanted to give up, leave everything, his spark clenched so hardly that he moved on. Like his spark was controlling his body, his processor, every part of him.

He didn't know why, he didn't know how, but he listened to it.

_-Keep pushing forward, keep pushing forward, keep pushing forward… -_ he was repeating in his head.

He soon collapsed on the sand, trying to stay up, but he couldn't. His spark was hurting even more than before, and he knew danger is coming up. He was trying not to close his optics, pushing to the end.

_- _Have to… stay awake_…_- he cried out, gazing at the sky which was full of dust.

He couldn't see much, but he saw enough.

His engine started to moan loudly as he was pushing himself away from the sand has that almost covered him.

He managed to stand up, just to see that there is a huge sandstorm coming up.

He started to run towards it and started to cry Arcee's name out.

There was no answer.

_-Maybe she has already…_ -he closed his optics, his spark still telling to move on, but he couldn't do it anymore.

He fell onto his knees, still trying to crawl, but his legs and servos were scratched and injured by all the dried plants he passed, and he was too low on energy to continue.

Once again he cried her name out, but there was no respond. He fell onto the ground, thinking it's over. She isn't going to be anymore, he isn't going to be anymore. At least he would see Breakdown once again. But he was still afraid, and he wanted his life to move on. With, or without anyone. He wasn't ready. His task wasn't completed yet, and he didn't want to leave this world… because he wanted to make up for everything bad he did.

He couldn't leave his optics opened anymore; he was closing them slowly, remembering his promise to Arcee.

_Arcee, -he said- we may be enemies, but I will try to help you, at all my costs._

- I tried to help you, Arcee, but I didn't manage to_._

He then closed his optics tightly, preparing his systems for a shutdown, still holding the cure in his servo.

But his spark twitched so hardly that he opened his optics once again.

His sight was even worse than before, but he could still see the surrounding area.

The sandstorm wasn't even there yet, but it was so close that he trembled and thought that it's over, whatever he does.

His spark twitched again, and he put his servo onto his chest, looking onto the left side.

He saw a little fence made of bricks, just big enough for him to save one of them. But Arcee was gone, and he came to the conclusion that this shelter is his.

He saw a little light in his life again, standing up and limping over to the shelter.

He once again turned around, to see if Arcee's somewhere in the back. But there was no one, just sand and dust. His blurred vision was bothering him, he couldn't see if she's somewhere there or not.

And his voice box lost its power too, so he couldn't even speak normally.

_-If I lose my voice, I will never speak again, but if there's a chance to keep my promise… I'll take that risk. –_He was thinking, and soon after that he gathered all his energy up and shouted her name once again, so loudly that his ears were feeling pain from his own voice.

There was still no respond.

He fell onto his knee and stayed like that for a moment, without thinking about anything, just gasping and struggling for air.

Then, he heard a weak voice in the distance, a weak voice that he always could recognize.

_-Arcee… You're alive… -_He thought as he couldn't speak anymore, but then looked onto the fence which was capable of saving just one of them, and then he looked onto the little blue spot that was covered in sand. No wonder he couldn't see her. The sandstorm was coming closer to her, and he saw she didn't have a chance to escape from it.

_She_ didn't have the chance.

He was looking onto her, and then thinking about what he should decide.

- _My decision is clear. She clearly can't do it anymore._

She saw him moving in the direction of the fence, so she left her head to fall onto the sand.

He then gathered all of his left energy (which was really low now), and ran towards her.

As he was coming closer to her, his spark was tickling, showing him that he made the right decision.

He stopped in front of her, looking down at her.

She realized that he was standing next to her looking terribly wounded; still she smiled.

He didn't smile back; he just blinked heavily two times.

He picked her up, and he started to run away from the sandstorm, but the sandstorm was too close to him, and he had no energy to run faster, so he nodded his head as she was looking at him with surprised, widened optics.

-What are you planning? –She silently asked, and he could hear that her energy is low from her journey too.

He looked into her optics without opening his mouth, like he was telling- _You know it by yourself._

But she wasn't sure about that, because he was just looking at her with sad-looking optics.

- Knock Out? –She asked watching his nervous moving.

He blinked like he was trying to say _Sorry,_ and then he threw her into the air, letting her crash where the fence was.

She was safe, and she knew it. The pain was terrible, but she was happy he rescued her, and she wanted to thank him as he rescued her life after all she has done to him.

As she stood up she saw he wasn't going anywhere, so she widened her optics.

- Knock Out! What are you doing!? –She tried to shout, but there was no strength left in her voice.

He heard her anyways, so he turned around.

She expected an answer, but it wasn't coming.

He just slightly smiled at her and lowered his optic ridges, and then turned around to face the terrible sandstorm.

_- At least I saved your life from the sandstorm, if nothing else…_

It was reaching him, and she turned away so that she didn't have to watch him getting buried alive, covering her face with both of her servos.

She fell onto the ground.

- Knock Out! –She cried out loudly just like she shouted _No_ when Tailgate got scrapped in front of her own optics.

She closed her optics tightly, hitting the ground with her fists.

…

- Knock Out… -she said when she woke up, remembering the scene another time in her dream.

She soon realized that the sandstorm was over, and the desert was back to normal once again. The moon was shining above her, shining onto the cliffs that were surrounding the desert.

She stood up and limped over to the place where she last saw him.

Then she fell onto the ground once again, but then she started to dig her claws into the sand to find him.

Her optics were getting wet as she was digging her servos into the ground. She was digging for about a megacycle, until she found his servo. Her spark bounced up, and she pulled his body out of the sand.

His body was all scratched and dusty, little scars were on his face, and his paint job was scratched even more then when he was ran over by a train and when the bomb exploded in his hands. His optics were tightly closed.

She had to stay strong not to let tears drop down _her_ faceplates now.

- Knock Out… can you hear me…? –She asked silently.

He wasn't opening his optics, he wasn't even responding when she asked.

-Knock Out… I know you can do it…

He was still in the same position as before.

- Please, wake up. Please. –She said and put her servo onto his.

He was still just lying on the ground.

She lowered her head.

After a cycle, he moved a little. She could hear him gasping heavily at first, but he quickly stopped gasping and his optics opened.

- Knock Out!

- Arcee… -he said silently.

- You can speak…

- It seems… as if I kept both of the things I wanted to. –He slightly smiled and half-closed his optics.

- Why did you… save me? Why did you come back for me when I left because it happened again?

- Didn't I tell you I'll help you at all my costs?

She looked into his optics. They were blurry, but still looked like before the accident.

- I'm sorry Knock Out. It's all my fault.

- You don't have to apologize… -he said rising his head up to see her entire face once again, before closing his optics.

- I have to. I'm so sorry. –She stated.

He nodded his head and smiled. Then he leaned back once again.

- Knock Out, what are you doing? Why are you leaning back like that?

- No reason.

- Don't you dare leave me, Knock Out. Not now.

He didn't respond. His scratched body was just lying; movement from his body could not be seen.

- Knock Out! Don't! You can still survive!

What she didn't see was that the sandstorm caused him to hit into a big rock that made a big hole into his back.

- Please, I need you, Knock Out.

- For healing you. –He said and smiled a little, half-opening his optics. The smile actually hurt, but he knew that he needs to pretend like everything was alright when she's here.

- Not _just_ for that. You _are_ a part of the family.

That last part made him especially happy, but it isn't going to help him to stay online.

- I don't want to lose you Knock Out. Well, not yet. Wait till I get back, then you can do whatever you want. –She slightly smiled, but the smile vanished instantly as she really didn't want him to leave like this, she wanted to be the one who offlines him… but she lost the will to do that as he wasn't that bad she thought he was.

His smile vanished; he couldn't keep it any longer.

- Please, don't go; you're not ready. –She said, a tear sliding down her faceplate, holding a servo on his chest.

- You know I can't hold it Arcee, let me go.

She left another tear down her faceplate, but he wiped it away with his servo.

- Don't cry, I found a cure for you, take this to Ratchet. –He said putting the cure which he was carrying with him all the way into her servo, smirking, and then closing his optics once again.

- I even tested it. On myself. – He gently said.

- Knock Out, I don't want you to go out of my life just like that… I grew closer to you. I don't see you as an enemy anymore. You are a friend Knock Out. A real friend. - She said and left a tear to drop onto his chest.

-Arcee, just move on. Live life to the fullest.

She wasn't sure if that was Knock Out anymore; he didn't sound like him anymore and his attitude has completely changed. But he was the same Knock Out as before.

She put both of her servos onto his chest, leaning onto him.

- I won't let you go, Knock Out. I'll stay here till the end.

For the first time he enjoyed her touch, her softness, even though everything else was hurting. But his spark was tickling him from the inside and this was spread over his whole body, so he wasn't feeling the pain that much as he felt before. He enjoyed every move she made, her tears that fell onto his body armor. He enjoyed it when she touched his scratches, even if they were burning from pain then. He was mostly enjoying when she was stroking his right faceplate, trying to empathize with him and make him feel better.

She succeeded in making him feel better, but she couldn't feel his pain, it was too big.

He looked into the sky and closed his optics.

- I promise to help _you_ now, Knock Out. –She whispered, and his engine purred from joy, although he knew that this was impossible without the help from others.

- I hope you'll keep that promise. -He purred into her ear before he shut his systems down.

_-I already tried to call Ratchet, but he didn't pick up… I hope he'll get this massage at least… -_she thought and sent the message over to the base.

- Please Ratchet, you have to help… -She said, wiping her tears of her face.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: To the rescue

- Ratchet! An energy signal!

- What is it this time, Bulkhead? –Ratchet asked walking over to the big screen, looking from where the message came from.

- It can't be… -he said while staring into the big screen like there was something too weird for him to believe.

-What is it? –Bumblebee asked while he was arguing with Smokescreen and scolding his behavior once again. Smokescreen was commanding the Vehicons that were building up the city again. As a result, the Vehicons failed to rebuild the buildings once again, and destroyed a big tower.

- It is from… Earth… -he said silently, and everybody stopped to talk and turned around to see Ratchet.

- But… from whom? Why would anybody need us after all these years? –Wheeljack asked. He recently returned from his journey on collecting energon for the rebuild of Cybertron.

-All these years? We're here only two years… -Bumblebee stated.

- Maybe Miko and the others need us. –Bulkhead stated, and showed that he clearly didn't forget about her.

- No… it's an embedded message… from…

- Say it already! –Smokescreen shouted over to him to wake him up from his thoughts.

- It's from Arcee.

Everybody opened their optics widely. They all lost every hope of finding her.

- She's alive? –Bumblebee asked as his optics were shining.

- Seems like that… -Ratchet stated, smiling.

- We have searched the whole Cybertron up, while she was on Earth the whole time? –Bulkhead stated, and everybody could hear that he was happy that she's alive too.

- What are we waiting for? Let's open a Ground Bridge! -Smokescreen exclaimed.

- But the coordinates can't be followed. We have to go all the way through the desert.

- Wait, did you just say _desert_? –Bumblebee asked.

Ratchet nodded his head.

Ultra Magnus came into the hall, and everyone was standing straight.

- Ultra Magnus, we found her. –Bumblebee stated, and he seemed to be very excited.

-Ratchet, what is written in the message? –He asked.

- _If you get this message, know I'm still alive, but I need a bridge and help. I also require medical equipment or someone to help carry._

_~Arcee_

Ultra Magnus nodded his head.

- We'll send a small group of us for the rescue. –Ultra Magnus said, looking onto them.

-Bulkhead and Smokescreen, you go. –He suddenly said.

-Yes, sir, understood. –Smokescreen said.

- You can count on us. –Bulkhead said.

-Roll out, you two! –Ultra Magnus stated and gave Ratchet the sign to open the Space Bridge.

They transformed, and Ratchet opened the Space Bridge.

- Ultra Magnus, could I go too? –Bumblebee asked as he was concerned about Arcee's health.

Ultra Magnus turned to see him and raised an optic ridge.

- I don't know…

- Please… -he begged.

- But two is enough; would you like to risk your life just because you think you should help too? Smokescreen and Bulkhead will handle it, don't be so concerned.

- But I… want to help. –He said and smiled.

He rolled his optics.

- Fine. If you want to, you can. But that's it, three is more than enough.

Bumblebee smiled and nodded his head as a sign of appreciation, and then transformed too.

-Good luck, you three.

They rolled out and got into the Space Bridge. As soon as they left, the Space Bridge closed itself.

- So she was online the whole time. –Ratchet silently stated, looking at Wheeljack.

- She sure is a tuff one. –Wheeljack said, smiling a little now too.

- I hope she isn't in a bad shape; we do need her now that the Decepticons are rising up once again.

- Don't you worry, she may be small, but she is always _watching the rear. _

_-_For how long has she been missing? You never told me the details. –Ultra Magnus stated, looking at them.

- We never told you the details because it is kind of complicated. Ratchet shrugged his shoulders.

- But you could tell Wheeljack, right?

-Well, he requested it before you did. –Ratchet answered.

- Indeed, Wheeljack did request it before me. But that doesn't explain why you shouldn't tell the story to me. –He made his point.

-Do I look like I wouldn't understand? –Ultra Magnus asked and narrowed his optics, and Ratchet and Wheeljack looked at each other.

Wheeljack nodded his head, and Ratchet started to explain.

When he finished, Ultra Magnus looked astonished.

- So… you say she wanted revenge because she thought the newly recruited Autobot damaged Bulkhead, but that wasn't true.

-Yes. –Ratchet stated.

- And you said that Bulkhead was attacked by Vehicons and Insecticons… working together, and that… what was his name again?

- Knock Out. –Wheeljack immediately responded.

- And that Knock Out wasn't even guilty in any way?

- Exactly. –Wheeljack said and crossed his servos at his chest.

- But before that he hurt her badly, he was the one who stabbed her with the Prod. –Ratchet stated to point his mistake out.

-Are you sure?

- Well… yes. –He answered.

- Or is that just another mistake you have made by taking it the wrong way, Ratchet? –Ultra Magnus asked like he was more on Knock Out's side than on Ratchet's. His optics were narrowed, and Ratchet knew he could be wrong.

- I… think.

- And did she take revenge? –He asked.

- How could we know that? –Wheeljack asked.

- I was hoping you do. Because if he wasn't guilty at all, we have lost a team member just because of some mistakes. –Ultra Magnus seemed serious.

Ratchet was surprised because of his intuition, and his hate to Knock Out decreased.

- But he isn't an Autobot anymore; Ratchet told me that Bumblebee and the others decided to exclude him from the team. –Wheeljack stated and Ratchet looked at him with widened optics, and the mechanic knew he shouldn't have said that.

- And you did that without my supervision? Although I am the leader now?

They looked at the ground, feeling ashamed.

- I'm not only upset because you banned a team member without having me know, you might have caused the death of an innocent Autobot and we've might have made a new enemy now too.

_-Ultra Magnus could be right, maybe we didn't think this through_. –Ratchet was thinking while he was looking at the floor.

-_But he could be wrong too._

…

-We are near to the coordinates, Bumblebee. –Smokescreen stated.

- Great, we just have to move along a bit faster. –Bumblebee said and started to rush, and Smokescreen speeded up too.

-I don't understand how she could walk this far. And why? –Bulkhead stated while he was trying to keep up to them.

- We don't have any time for chatting. –Bumblebee stated and speeded even more up.

- Isn't Bumblebee a little bit… too concerned for her health? –Smokescreen asked and slowed down to face Bulkhead.

- I don't know, but he sure seems upset. –Bulkhead answered.

- Bulkhead? You don't think that Bumblebee is… you know… -Smokescreen said nodding his head.

- What? –Bulkhead asked.

-Oh you mean… No. He is just… No. –Bulkhead tried to convince Smokescreen that Bumblebee has no feelings for Arcee, but he failed on that.

- Maybe… -Bulkhead said silently.

-Ha! I knew it. –Smokescreen stated and rushed after Bumblebee.

- I just hope he won't tease him or something now… -Bulkhead said while he was trying to reach them.

…

She woke up on Knock Out's chest. She trembled a little and was concerned about him, not knowing if he was still alive, but she soon realized that his spark was still beating. Hardly, but it was.

- I just hope they'll arrive soon… -she said.

Then she tried to wake Knock Out, but he wasn't waking up.

Then she stood up, and looked into the distance. There was no one, so she sat back onto the sand once again.

- They'll come. I'm sure of it. –She silently stated and wrapped her servos around her legs, and put her head at her knees.

Knock Out coughed.

- You are? –Knock Out asked with such a silent voice that she first thought that he was whispering.

- I am. –She smiled and looked into the distance again.

- What makes you so sure about it? –He asked, his voice becoming a little louder again, but still silent.

- Knock Out, I just know. I know they are going to get here for sure, because they care a lot about me.

- But what's with me? –He asked, his voice turning quieter again.

- What if they won't accept me, what if they leave me alone, kill me, or… -he wanted to say other things but she put her finger onto his mouth, making him quiet and calm.

- Don't you worry, I'll handle it.

- And what if… -he started, looking into her optics.

- Knock Out, just be quiet. Don't you worry about anything; you have to keep your strength.

He turned completely quiet, but his optics were still talking.

She smiled as she knew what he was trying to say, so she stroked his helmet to calm him down.

- It's a wonder that you're still alive. –She said after some time and slightly smiled.

- I know. –He whispered.

- What were you just thinking, Knock Out?

He smiled and his optics glowed intensively. She couldn't guess what he was thinking about right now, but she didn't even care. Alone to know that he is at their side made her happy.

He was looking at her with adoration.

_-She is going to keep her promise…_

He closed his optics because he felt safe, and she smiled at that.

Even if his paint job was scratched, even if he had a big scar under his optic, even if his whole body and head were full of scratches, even if he was leaking a lot of energon because of his hole in his back, she still saw the same good-looking Knock Out in front of her.

She lied down next to him, stroking his armor.

He felt uncomfortable, but he liked it. He shivered when she came even closer to him.

Just as she was getting her lips close to his ear to whisper something to him, Bumblebee shouted her name, and she swiftly stood up and put her hands up to show where she was.

- Didn't I tell you that they would come? –She looked back at him and smirked.

- You did. –He rolled his optics and sounded a bit disappointed because of Bumblebee's arrival at this time.

She was running over to them, and they were running over to her.

She was still hurt, but she was able to run because of the happiness she felt in her spark.

They all hugged her and she hugged them, while Knock Out was hoping that she isn't going to leave him alone, now that she has got company who cares about her.

Smokescreen was "jumping" around her, Bulkhead was squeezing her and Bumblebee was looking at her with adoration.

Then Bulkhead put her down and Bumblebee hugged her passionately, and Arcee hugged him back like that.

They were like that for a few cycles, and Bumblebee still wasn't letting her go, while Smokescreen was whispering something over to Bulkhead, and Bulkhead wiggled a little and looked at the blue mech, looking at him with weird-looking optics.

Knock Out was watching them, and a burst of fury and jealousy flew through his arteries. This made him turn his head into another direction.

Just in the time he did that Bumblebee released her and Bulkhead picked her up, while Smokescreen was asking a lot of questions on which she didn't answer; she just smiled, and Bumblebee was praising her all the time.

She seemed happy, and Knock Out thought that it would be even better if she forgets about him, and just leaves him. He surely grew to like her, and he wanted the best for her, even if he had to step back. He hated himself for feeling like that, though.

They were walking away, and Knock Out really thought she's going to leave without him now.

_-Fine, I wish you luck with a SCOUT, femme. But a soldier would suit you better._

He shook his head once again when he realized what he has just thought, then laid his head down and closed his optics.

They were walking away with her, but she looked back.

-Arcee, what is it? –Smokescreen asked.

- I didn't need medical equipment for myself. - She said looking at the spot where he was lying.

- What? –Bumblebee asked.

- This is going to sound weird now, but… -she said and ran back to him again.

- Arcee! Why are you running?! –Bumblebee shouted because she was already far away from them, and started to run after her.

Soon, he was followed by Smokescreen and Bulkhead.

She arrived to the spot where he was lying, and he realized her nearness so he opened his optics.

-You honestly returned?

-Never question me. –She said and smiled.

-Come, -she lent her servo to him - I'll help you up.

He accepted her help and he managed to get up by putting a servo onto her shoulder, and she putting a servo onto his back, preventing him from falling down.

They were all surprised when they saw that she was helping her enemy, but the one with the most surprised face was Bumblebee.

- Arcee, why are you helping your enemy? –Smokescreen said, looking surprised but somehow happy.

- _Former enemy_… -The red mech whispered to himself.

- No questions please, just help me.

Smokescreen helped her without hesitating, putting Knock Out's servo onto his shoulder too.

- Where are we taking him Arcee? –Bulkhead asked.

- To Ratchet –she said and Bulkhead noticed that Knock Out had a big hole in his back.

-Let me help too, -he said and took Arcee's place.

Bumblebee helped Arcee, and Knock Out was looking at them, frowning, as they were walking right in front of him for a while.

Cycles were passing, and they soon came out from the desert.

-Ratchet, bridge us back. –Bumblebee proudly stated, smirking while he was saying it. He was feeling like some kind of hero.

The bridge came, and they went through it.

…

Ratchet and Wheeljack were excited and were looking into the Bridge. Ultra Magnus crossed his servos and waited for their arrival.

Arcee came along with Bumblebee first. There was a big smile on Ratchet's and Wheeljack's face, and Ultra Magnus nodded his head and showed a little smile.

Then Arcee pushed herself away from Bumblebee and brought Ratchet the cure, and he was looking questionably at her.

Then, Bulkhead and Smokescreen stepped in, and they were holding the hardly damaged "Autobot" Knock Out.

They were stunned to see him, and they were wondering what happened.

But Arcee didn't want to talk about it.

- Why did you bring him with you? –Ratchet asked.

- Come on Ratchet, look at him; he's hurt, he needs medical cure. –Smokescreen stated and Knock Out smiled, he didn't think he is going to protect him.

-Well, he is a medic at his own, he doesn't need me. –He said and turned around.

- But Ratchet, he is really hurt and… -Bulkhead started, and Knock Out smiled into his direction now, looking at him with adoration. He still had some friends.

- He got what he deserved; he isn't even on our side anymore, look what he did to Arcee. –Ratchet was looking at Ultra Magnus trying to convince him that he is bad.

- No, Ratchet, this wasn't him. –She stated and lowered her optic ridges.

- So you are telling me that you are against me too.

- No Ratchet, it's just… He saved my life.

Everybody looked at her when she said that.

- Twice. –She said smiling towards the red mech. Knock Out slightly smiled at the blue femme.

Everybody was stunned, and they didn't know if they are going to choose Ratchet's or Knock Out's side.

- Let's vote. –Ratchet declared.

Arcee wanted to step forward first, but Ratchet stated –Arcee, you don't have the right to choose your side.

She was confused, did she get into another dimension where Knock Out is good, and Ratchet is bad?

- I'm for Knock Out. –Smokescreen stated.

-I too. – Bulkhead said.

- I'm for Ratchet. –Bumblebee declared, and Arcee looked at him with consternation.

Wheeljack was looking around, but then he made his choice.

-Ratchet. –He said, and Bulkhead looked down at the floor.

So the only one who could decide Knock Out's fate was the strict and determined Bot who was standing in front of him.

-Put him onto his knees. –He said while Knock Out was looking into his optics.

- I've heard good things and bad things about you, Knock Out. Optimus Prime accepted you as an Autobot openly, but it isn't giving you extra points. You were a Decepticon once, devoted to evil. But you have changed sides. Although, your attitude is still the same; you are still a Decepticon in behavior. You have stabbed Arcee with your Energon Prod, maybe you have even betrayed us.

He looked at Arcee, then down.

- You did save her life twice. But I'm sure that she has been hurt many times too. But, you did find a cure for her, even if Ratchet didn't tell me about anything like that.

Ratchet looked out of the window.

- But have you proven yourself as an Autobot? Did you?

The red mech looked at Arcee once again, and saw that she was looking at him too. He then looked down, prepared to hear the result of their leader's thinking.

- Have you proven yourself to be a loyal and strong member of our team; have you proven yourself as being part of our family?

Then, Ultra Magnus looked at Arcee who was smiling. She was smiling because she was remembering all his heroic actions he was doing, all his quotes and his sacrifices for her.

- I don't know if you have proven to be a loyal companion to _us_, but I'm sure you have proven something.

Arcee woke up from her daydreaming and saw Ultra Magnus looking at Knock Out like he is going to abandon him in this miserable state, serious and strict looking as always.

-Now, Knock Out…

Knock Out closed his optics as his head was lowered and he was kneeling at the floor.

- Rise, soldier, because you have proven that you can be good, that you can be a loyal companion and friend, including part of our family.- Ultra Magnus said, and Knock Out opened his optics and looked up to him, not even knowing what's going on.

- Because you stayed with Arcee and helped her, and you learned how to share your feelings with others. I declare you to be our medic _and _soldier, and serve the good forever.

Knock Out stood up; happiness was feeling up his wounded body.

Everybody was happy for him; Smokescreen was "jumping" around _him _now, Bulkhead and Wheeljack were praising him, and Arcee hugged him, just like she hugged Bumblebee, passionately, openly.

Bumblebee was just standing, and Ratchet was complaining again.

_-Oh please, isn't having 5 here enough? - _He was thinking.

They were happy, but Knock Out felt his pain once again, and he almost collapsed. Everybody gathered around him, but he was just saying that he is going to be fine.

-Ratchet, take him and Arcee to your medical berth and heal them. I want them to shine like they did before! –Ultra Magnus stated, and Ratchet prepared his medical equipment, complaining once again.

After that, Bumblebee came closer to Ultra Magnus to ask him something.

- Ultra Magnus, why did you except him as one of us once again?

- We need every help we can get, now that the Decepticons are rising once again.

Bumblebee was still looking at him.

-And because Arcee's optics were telling me everything that happened. I realized that he didn't do anything bad that he didn't regret, and when I looked into his optics, they were just confirming what I have thought.

- I understand… -Bumblebee stated, walking out of the hall, but then turning around once again.

-Ultra Magnus, sir.

-What is it, scout? –He called him like that because he was used to do that, although Bumblebee was a warrior now.

- You are a fair new leader. –He said, and Ultra Magnus just nodded his head to show him that he understood.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The move

-Arcee. Wake up Arcee. –Ratchet was calling her as she was still lying on the berth with closed optics. She wiggled a little.

-Ratchet? Is that you? –She asked, still not opening her optics.

- Yes. I inserted the cure into you.

She opened her optics widely, sat up, then looked around herself.

She was in Ratchet's medical lab; it was looking the same as it was before. She couldn't help but smile, this is where she wanted to be when she was injured- and not at the Harbinger where Knock Out was staring at her the whole night. Well, at least this was how she felt there.

Then she remembered Knock Out. He was the one who invented the cure at the first place. She got a little concerned about him because of his injuries when she last saw him.

-How how long have I been here?

- Not that long, just two weeks.

-TWO WEEKS? –She asked loudly, making him turn around.

Ratchet looked at her while she was nervously looking all around her. Her optics were full of concern, not knowing what was going on for TWO WEEKS.

- Relax, Arcee. –Everything turned out fine. The cure worked, surprisingly. You are no longer at risk for turning into a Terrorcon.

She was relieved. But still, some questions had to be answered before she could be completely relaxed.

- What about the others? Did the war start already? –Concern could be heard in her voice.

- No. But they are preparing for it. Bumblebee and Wheeljack have already left, and Ultra Magnus is preparing to leave too, but the war isn't even close to the beginning.

- I understand… -She lowered her head.

He turned around to face his computer again.

-And… -she started, and Ratchet rolled his optics and turned to face her around once again.

-What is it? –He asked, sounding annoyed.

- Is… Knock Out alright?

He looked into her optics and saw a little twinkle in them. He crossed his hands leaning on one of his legs.

-Well, his scratches and scars are gone, so as his hole in the back. He'll soon be alright.

Then he turned around to his computer again.

-And where is he? –She asked smiling a little because she knew she was annoying.

He frowned and mumbled something, turning around again.

- In the other room of my lab. Would you please stop now? –He said, making a serious face.

She nodded her head and lied down again.

He turned around once again and lookedat the monitor. He started typing, but then Ultra Magnus called him.

He put his servos onto his head, trying not to yell from rage. He turned the computer off and reached the door.

-I'll be right back. –He said angrily and made his way out the room.

Arcee closed her optics, now knowing that she didn't lose anything… or anybody.

She smiled again, and then fell asleep.

Hours were passing by, and Ratchet wasn't coming.

She woke up, alone in the room. She felt lonely once again, and started to think of Knock Out.

_- What would happen if I… pay him a visit? –_She was thinking, already stepping up.

- Ratchet won't come back so soon… -she was thinking as she was already on the way to the other room.

The hallway was nice and clean, for a change. There was no energon on the floor too, and she smiled by remembering how she crashed into him when she saw Starscream's dead clone.

And instead of complaining and scolding her (like Ratchet would), he just said: _Good morning to you too, dear._

She shook her head as she was thinking of him as an enemy once again.

- _I have to work on my daydreaming. - _She was thinking, realizing that this wasn't the first time she was thinking of him like that.

She reached the door and took a deep breath before going through it.

After that, she opened it, slowly.

She looked around- everything was just like in her room too- but there was Knock Out lying on the berth, and not her.

A smile showed up on her faceplates as she saw him healthy again.

Although she wasn't into medicine, she was able to confirm his status: _Healthy_.

Her spark twitched a little, and she looked at him.

His face was serious-looking, optics tightly closed and mouth half-opened. There was no scratch and no scar, like he was before all the stuff that happened.

She leaned closer to him, looking onto his adorable-looking face, saying- Thank you.

She stood up straight once again, and turned around to see all the medical equipment lying on the table.

He suddenly trembled a little, opening his optics, what she didn't realize.

First his sight was blurry, just like before, but then it was slowly returning.

He was still lying, looking into every corner of the room, when he realized he had company.

…

-Ratchet, are the patients doing fine? –Ultra Magnus asked.

-Yes. They are getting better and better. Arcee already woke up.

- And what's with Knock Out? –Ultra Magnus asked, and Ratchet was surprised that he remembered his name, because the last time he had spoken it was when they found them and when he accepted Knock Out as a team member again.

- His status is healthy too, but he didn't wake up yet. Why are you asking? You didn't ask me about them for a long time.

- Because I fear that the Decepticons may find us if we are going to shine like this. –He said, showing Ratchet all the light they were using in their base.

- But we have to keep safety. We need light and other devices to keep us safe too.

- Ratchet, their new ship is getting closer to us. We have to shut all the systems down, even if just for a short time, just for them to pass by without noticing our base. –He said looking down at Ratchet.

-And what about the patients?

-You said they are fine.

-_So that is why he asked… -_Ratchet thought.

Ratchet was silently complaining, but then he made his way to shut all the systems down by just pulling a switch.

…

She was still looking at the equipment. It was full of red color and looking used up, but this was normal for Ratchet, because he never wanted to get new equipment- he liked this equipment the most. He grew to like it.

The red mech was looking at her, thinking if he should say something or not. He accepted the fact that he wanted her to be… more than just a friend to him.

As his courage was rising seeing her being turned around and not looking at him, he was ready to say something.

But then, all the lights went off.

She was stunned for a moment, but then she started to move randomly.

He didn't see her, but he could see her optics' light flashing randomly, so he exactly knew where she was.

He stood up, silently sneaking over to her.

His red optics were flashing light too, but Arcee was too confused to look back where he was standing.

As she was trying to figure out where she was, she heard a devilish laughter behind her.

- Don't turn around… yet. –He said when he finally knew what to say.

- Is that you…? –She asked, but didn't get the answer.

He touched her shoulders, making her shiver as his fingers were cold like ice, but she could see that his optics were flashing red, hot like fire.

- Knock Out? –She asked and he could hear fear in her voice.

- _Sag nichts, meine schöne_. –He purred into her audio, and she shivered again. This was definitely Knock Out.

Then his servos slid down her figure and stopped on her hips.

She wasn't sure if she was actually attracted to this or just disgusted. Whatever it was, she wanted it to be gone.

She was prepared to end this game before it starts.

- Now you can turn around. –He said after a while and she turned around swiftly. He grabbed her servo and stretched it out, still holding it. His other servo wandered onto to her back, and he looked her into her optics.

They were full of confusion and shame, while his were full of passion.

She was surprised because he exactly knew that she wasn't going to allow him to do things like that.

-You look beautiful in the dark. –He chuckled.

Her fans were working all the time, but she couldn't cool down.

- Look at that, somebody likes me. –He said and started to dance around with her, without any music.

She put her servo on his shoulder. She was following him, but she was weak and she couldn't keep up with his moves. She was stepping over her own feet, but he didn't mind.

-_He was in stasis longer than I, how can he still move like that after all that events? –_She was thinking.

He was full of passion, and didn't even think of stopping that easily. His feelings were stronger than his own body.

Then he dipped her and her fans stopped working, making her blush as his face was getting closer to hers.

- Arcee… We both know that we could be more than just… friends.

She was silent, staring into his optics as he was getting closer and closer.

- Even more than family? –She asked when he got dangerously close.

- Even more than family. –He chuckled.

Then he pulled her up, and they got into dancing once again, circling around the laboratory room.

She was still looking confused, and he continued.

- I have always liked your features, _Sweetspark_. I was beginning to like you from the very first time we met- on the battlefield.

She looked down as he stopped to dance.

- And then you threw a train at my face.

She was feeling even more uncomfortable now.

But then he dipped her once again, and he added- But who could be mad at you.

She looked into his optics once again.

She wasn't sure if she was dreaming or if this was really happening.

-_If this is a dream, I hope I'll wake up soon. –_She was thinking.

Then he set her up once again and continued- And I tried to forget you, but I couldn't, even though we were real enemies then. And we kept on meeting each other, Autobot and Decepticon, fire and ice. -Until I joined you. –He said and slammed her onto the wall.

She was surprised and knew this wasn't a dream. It was too real to be a dream. The tension between their bodies was rising.

- Knock Out, let me go… -she was struggling, as he was holding her tightly and was leaning closer to her, body to body, and her spark started to race.

- Like if I would let _you _out of my sight once again… -he purred softly.

He saw that she turned her head away from him, and knew that she didn't like the way he was approaching her, but he honestly didn't care.

- And what do you think of me? –He suddenly asked.

There were all kinds of adjectives flowing through her mind, but she just looked into his optics, smirked and said- Insufferable.

Unfortunately for her, he smiled and leaned even closer to her.

-Am I? –He asked.

Her smirk left from her faceplates and her optics twinkled as he was getting closer and closer, until their foreheads touched.

- You're trembling. –He said smirking.

- I am not… -she tried to lie, but she couldn't, not into _his_ optics.

- You are. –He said as his lips were about to touch hers, but then the light in the room turned on again.

He tilted his head to see what was going on, but she knew.

Ultra Magnus and Ratchet were coming.

She pushed him away with her leg while her servos were leaning onto the wall to balance herself.

When they came close she slapped him in front of their sights and turned around angrily.

He was watching her walking away while Ratchet and Ultra Magnus were looking at him.

As he realized that they were looking at him weirdly, he put his servo behind his head and said – Femmes, you never know what is in their heads.

They were still looking at him weirdly, and he went out of the room without saying a word anymore.

-_What was I thinking… -_he was asking himself all the time as he was walking down the hallway.

…

She went out of the base, servos crossed on her chest. She was angry, but not on him. She was angry at herself.

-_How could I actually allow him to do that? I grew too weak. –_She was complaining as she was looking onto the city.

It was surprisingly quiet today, like something else happened in her absence.

But she was too frustrated to think of the silence, while there was a problem with her in the first place.

Deep inside of her she knew why she was letting him do that for a while.

She was lonely for a long time and she kind of liked it when Knock Out hit on her.

_-_ I hope that this was the last time I would ever interface with him again… -she said while Ratchet was approaching her from the back.

- What happened, Arcee? –He asked and Arcee turned around swiftly when she realized that he could have heard her last sentence.

-Ah, nothing. –She said not looking into his optics.

- Arcee.

- Ah, he was just himself again. This mech is really impossible. –She waved her hand.

-What was he doing this time…? -He asked, and then saw the frustration in her optics when she narrowed them and looked into his ones.

- He was… -she started but Ratchet interrupted her.

-Never mind, I think I don't even want to know. –He said, turned around and walked in again.

She was grateful to him because he left her alone with her thoughts.

-He knows when to start and when to end a conversation, unlike some another medic… -she said smiling a bit.

- I just hope the war starts soon, if there has to be one. I can't stand this pressure anymore, and I think Knock Out can't either. Maybe he thinks that the Decepticons are going to beat us this time. –She said while she was gazing into the starry sky and smiled.

-But why would he hit on me just because of that? –She smiled.

-Never mind. I won't let this thought infect my head once again. – She said and went back in.

What she didn't know was that the war is about to start, and it isn't going to free her from her current problems, it is just going to bring her more of them.

**To be continued…**

**Next part: War for a Spark**


End file.
